Vampire Kingdom Come
by juliet2
Summary: The story follows Kaname after becoming human. He lives a settled life when all things start changing around him. In the vampire realm an opposition of purebloods has taken over the leadership, fighting the cure and the nightclass. As they all face extreme danger, how will they find resolution among humanity and vampirism? And who shall save the vampire king from his own demons?
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

He got out under the light of the sun. He had never felt such a warmth again. On his skin and somewhere deep inside in his heart. Right, it was there beating silently in the melodic rhythm of the sweet breeze.

Who he was and what he had wanted in life, somehow where not that important to him. Not this moment. Not so much as the adjustment of his irises to the light, the peculiar sense he had, that he was more vulnerable than ever before.

An awakening, he took a deep breath trying to consume even the last essence that existed in nature, if that could ever be possible. What had happened? Could anyone explain to him why he felt such a bliss inside? A bliss born out of the small and the trivial.

As important and trivial was the thin air, the rays of the sun or this

little butterfly that had been following him, but now it finally merged in and vanished inside the blurred background of the woods.

Somehow, yes somehow, he knew that this little tiny creature, had brought to him a part of the light and the warmth he felt in his veins.

A life that he could not have any other way, than this way. And there was only one path destined for him to follow; The path to liberty.

"Do you believe that father shall be all right?", the elder sister asked.

"Oh yes, he seems rather strong", the silver haired boy answered.

She nodded her head, taking in her hand her brother's hand.

"This journey belongs to him and only to him", she nodded in confidence.

He smiled and pushed his hand on top of her hair.

"Hey you…", she grimaced. In her heart she said her silent, most honorable goodbyes to both of her parents. The one had just passed to eternity and the other one had just returned from it.

And so, like a childish game that wants to know no end, the years began to pass by.

Nothing became more important than what once used to be quite unimportant; The daily routine, the human relationships, the personal pursuits of making a living, all ended and began again and again. And everything else became history…

But, in all histories there are names that can not be unwritten, feelings that can not be undone, people that can not be forgotten and memories that can not be erased.

The responsibility of those who changed the course of human and vampire history, can not be forgiven.

Therefore…

**10 years later**

"You really should not have done that…", "You should have protected, honored that sacrifice".

Amelia threw herself out of the bed. 4.00 am. It was hard for her to close her eyes and pretend that nothing happened.

From where this memory was coming from? Perhaps, from another different life? One that the institution had told her that she had forgotten.

Wearing her sleepers she got out of the bed and rushed to her fridge for some cool water. Something in her throat started aching her and she suspected that she would come down with a flew. But she should go back to bed again and try to get some sleep

because tomorrow was an important day as she had an interview for a new job.

As she slipped into the covers, she felt really bizarre. Like a feeling of anticipation was on the air. "Really this thing with the new job has taken over me… I should try and relax".

But deep down an interior notion told her to be alert of something or for something. Yes, that feeling was still there; but once she tried to get to the other cross of the line and justify it through logic her mind went blank. Blank? So what could it be?


	2. The Unforgiving

"Aido", "Takuma", "Ruka","Kain", "Shiki", "Rima"…

Into the midst of the night the names were heard and the decision had been taken. At the same time a pack of craws flew to the north. The order was precise. And the one that had commanded it, knew very well that the heavy heritage of the past could become a fatal weapon for the future. What would it be?

"Father…", the young pureblood daughter looked at her pureblood master. His attention though was at the blue-black mercenaries that filled the sky.

"I won't change my opinion…", he blatantly said.

"Perhaps…a chance…"

"Do you also want to change Astris"?

That sounded like a threat and she did not dare to uplift her eyes and look upon him.

"No! I would never dare…disgrace you"

He closed the curtains and looked at the young daughter.

"Perhaps you should know better by now that only death expects the ones that defy immortality."

"I Know…I am sorry", she only dared to say, left alone to look the black marbles as her father exited the living room.


	3. Professor

Capris University

"So as I was telling before the science of molecules, help us define the series and amount of effort that is needed in nature for the continuation…", his tone sounded monotone, almost without a full stop.

Holding his notes up ahead, he started to draw in the blackboard the more important unions. Small whispers sounded as he turned around.

"Hey, did you notice the papers this morning…another one…"

"Just pass it to me…"

Kaname's attention twisted back to his fellow students. Something was occupying their attention far more than the molecules characteristics that he was writing on the board, he did an effort again to concentrate but as the whispers kept going on, he turned around.

"Okay, what is it?".

That was not his normal, academic style, but one that shouted; "Let it be real important or you are out".

Heffrey looked at Chip and Chip back to Hue that was holding the morning newspaper. Well, all the answers were there.

"Did you hear the morning news professor?"

"No.."

"Another student of the campus went missing and was found bitten to death in the woods".

Kaname approached and took gently the newspaper. It was at the cover page.

"They say that these wild animals, wolves probably did it…same as the previous time."

Another incident of that sort in the same month.

"I do understand but as long as you avoid camping around there, you should be okay".

"But professor.."

"Please let's continue".

He did not want to show to the kids any signs of worry, after all, nothing could be done about it. And so the class moved on until the saved by the ringing of the bell students shut their books.

Kaname approached the lab table for some final instructions.

"Okay, now remember to read again pages 67-78, next session there is a test, if you care…", he mentioned. His students finally were released, but two girls one blonde, the other red hair, approached his desk.

"Tina is there anything that you need?", that was a rhetorical question, nevertheless since he knew exactly what Tina and Mary (the red haired) needed.

"So professor are you coming to my birthday party?" Tina smiled softly, he was impressive and so handsome. And young, he was perfect, the man with whom all the female students wanted to spend a night or more. The difference Tina had with the rest of these girls was the fact that she considered herself a step closer.

"I can not promise…"

"Oh, do not feel strange, I have invited the whole campus. And other professors decided to join as well. You know Ms Hamilton and Mr Malfield, and professor Richmond. My parents wanted every formality, you can meet them, you know what a great politician my father is, it can make you good…"

"I do not intend to go for elections"…

"You know Tina and what she means, surely we would all be glad, just for the occasion", Mary supported her friend.

"I will try", Kaname said with a forced smile of gentleness.

The two girls tried not to have so many hopes high, but then again you never knew…

Professor Richmond sat quietly at his desk, eating a sandwich. He looked much older than forty years old but that was due to the grey hair. Seeing Kaname approaching, he sat back more relaxed at his armchair.

"So will you come tonight?"

"What is it with this party?"

"Public Relations, it's not that the campus does not need more foundation and the headmaster and Tina's father like each other".

"Whatever".

"Whatever" was usual a good solution for him. Short and answered all issues. Indeed.

For now he only wanted to go back to his apartment and do one thing; feed his cat. The only thing was that he had to make a visit to the nearest supermarket for cat food supplies.

His car expected him at the parking lot, even though he was a walking type. Somehow that soothed him; a walk under the afternoon sun was usually the best antidote after a busy day.

But today, it was raining and driving home was the best solution.

Of course not all people were so lucky as Kaname to have an Audi waiting for them so that they could easily move around, or to have a car anyway.

And Kaname understood that this was exactly the case with the young supermarket clerk who bombed onto him as he was crossing the supermarket's doors. He moved on whereas she was having

the lecture of her life from her manager.

"No excuses, next time you are late, better stay home…"

"But.."

"Go now, march, take care of the clients".

Bad thing to be happening in front of the clients of course, but this did not seem to be the primary consideration of the manager. Anyway…

Kaname focused his glance on the labels. Now where was the tuna? Cat, his cat, liked tuna so much and Kaname had bought all the tuna cans that he could find especially from this brand, in all local stores. Now it was the day for this little place. But no Tuna in here?

As he returned his gaze, he saw the employee moving in the same corridor taking care of the supplies.

"Excuse me, miss…"

"Yes sir?".

As he stood up to look at her, he felt a pinch of guilt that was putting chores to her while she was a real mess from the rain.

Nevertheless, it was her job.

"I was looking for tuna", he said pointing at the cans.

"Let me ask the manager, just a moment…".

Kaname nodded sympathetically. Judging from the clerk's style and tone, she should be new around, as she looked completely lost in the environment.

At the same time he considered himself a lucky young man that at least he had found a good asset of money after his long-deceased parents, with which he had the opportunity to educate himself and set up a nice living, not having to put up with real uneducated idiots, like the one that was coming along with the young employee.

The manager was rather short next to Kaname and had a rather ridicule style like talking from the stand of a multinational company.

"Sir, we do not have any more tuna supplies but if you just leave us your address, we can deliver your order tomorrow morning, as soon as the trunk arrives. First thing in the morning".

Kaname put a great amount of effort not to start laughing to his style.

"No, there is no need about it…"

"Oh, no trouble sir, and if you prefer our store, we can arrange a delivery to your home, every day at a specific hour. Here, the girl shall take the order".

"See, this is what I call customer service", he finally whispered to the girl as he was making an impressive exit.

Kaname was left speechless.

"He wants to get a promotion in the central stores so he cares to raise the sales…", she tried to explain.

Kaname nodded in a faint smile of appreciation for her efforts to excuse the inexcusable.

"So the address…?"

Kaname signed, well Cat could live with chicken for one day. So he just gave in to her soft insecure smile, deciding not to give her a harder day or treatment than the manager already had done.

After one hour finally, he managed to settle back to his leather sofa and take Cat at his hug. Someone to caress and play a bit, as he avoided long-term relationships, not ready for responsibilities. He was still young, just a little amusement now and then would do and Cat with her silky black fur certainly would do. And that was his life.

A simple ordinary professor's life with all the small thrills and excitements that came along every day. Good music, a fireplace, his cat, some wine and his favorite books were enough to amuse him, carefree he wanted to be and carefree he wanted to remain.

Therefore and he had chosen to buy this apartment, not too close to the city but also not that far away, so that he could have peace and a calm environment close to nature for his researches and experiments. For his own luck, the neoclassical white building featured only four spacious apartments in each floor and was almost empty, if one excluded the deaf lady living at the ground floor.

His life was a quiet one in general and Kaname, the human professor Kaname asked for nothing more. But of course this was not true about the humans that surrounded him and filled his life and hours with variety…such as…


	4. A Dark Night Accident

"Hm, Tina what are you doing?", Kaname looked down at Tina's pretty face that had almost leaned onto his chest.

"I just feel a little dizzy professor"…she whispered in a sweet little voice.

"Then, I should place you at the bed".

"A bed, yes…", in Tina's mind a bed would certainly do, so willingly she let go of the glass of Champaign from her hand.

"This way..", she pinpointed to Kaname showing him the door at the left.

Placing Tina at the bed was easy but leaving the bedroom proved to be more difficult.

"But professor, please, we can have a real good time…I won't tell anybody, promise!"

Kaname pushed away her hands that had glued to his trousers as he tried to release himself from her desperate moves and calls.

"But come on…"

"Good night Tina", he said, closing the door and finally taking a deep breath of relaxation. There were plenty the occasions that his young female students would just go for him, so in a way he was used in their siren pledges. But of course, never willing to give in, he had learned that the best treatment was the silent one.

* * *

"Are you leaving already?" Richmond complained.

"I stayed too long, time to rest", he answered, and without a second thought, he left behind the full lightened house and its huge garden with the decorated verandas. While the music faded away, he reached for his car on the parking lot.

Driving through the nearby forest, the atmosphere though had become a bit chilly and the trees slightly bended to the nightly wind. No stars existed to shine the way and the street lambs seemed not to function. He was not sure though if that was the same as when he passed from the same area before. Unexpectedly, he hit the breaks, as a man crashed against the window of his car. The blood covered everything in his vision.

The ABS went though a difficult task to stop the speedy vehicle, but he managed to halt the car and he dashed out, feeling like he had just killed a man.

But, as he saw the little hill that was supposed to be the man's body to move, his heart returned to its place. The man seemed to move. He was injured but still alive.

"No, don't move, are you all right?…Hey, I am sorry, I did not understand that…"

Slowly his voice faded away as the figure of the man seemed to raise again unharmed.

What was happening? The man stood on his feet and Kaname saw the fleshes to heal and this monster's eyes to shine bright.

He twisted around as more forms similar to this unknown passenger made their appearance around him, coming out from the woods; Darkness and coldness, penetrated inside him as in their crimson red eyes he faced only hunger and hate.

"What is this?" unable to interpret what has happening, Kaname doubted the sanity of his mind.

His eyes scanned the area in despair, the forms united and now he could clearly see that their dark and long figures were ready to kill him. He felt it inside him. The end…

A forceful, unbeatable hand, like it was made out of steel wrapped around his neck and crashed him against the tree with great force. Heavily wounded and in shock, he could not see a thing, he brought his hand on his face...blood and then…


	5. NightClass Danger

Like demons they kept running into the still night, through the forests and the rivers, seeking a safe refugee that deep down they feared it would not be granted to them.

After six hours of constantly dodging and annihilating the attacks of the servants, the team tired and exhausted had reached its limits. But still the chase went on with the beasts on their ran, an excruciating game now for pure survival.

They had no place to hide and Shiki had lost a lot of blood that he had no time to restore. Rima kept running beside him, Kaien held a half-fainted Ruka that had lost her hand.

"Please, leave me go on…", she begged Kaien again and again. They knew that these were words of despair in the absolute chaos that their lives had turned in the last months.

Shiki did an effort to catch his breath. They had used all of their speed and yet the dogs were still after them.

"I can sense them, they are near, let's go on…", Rima noticed.

It was too late, one minute of delay to full their energy was enough for the forms that merciless without rest, without pity, hunted them down.

The team was surrounded. Surrounded by level-b vampires as their kind. They had face so many, but they were still coming, like born inside of the grounds of earth. So many…against so few.

Another fight, how many times would they face them again and again in a single night? How did they lost absolute control? So naively surrounded themselves into the oblivion of peace? Yes, this is what happened.

Kaien used a barrier of fire to prevent them from approaching closer while the team gathered at the center. The eyes of the beasts shined red.

Shiki, slashed the air with his whip, it had been weakened and the damage to the opponents was trivial.

Tears were rolling from Ruka's eyes, she could not stop herself anymore from giving into the darkness. She grasped tighter Kaien's shirt. They knew that this defense would not last long enough. Eventually they had to let go.

The attack on them was merciless. New waves of animals surfaced from the woods and they fall into fire, sacrificing a few to pass the barrier that divided them from their final win.

Blood covered the grounds of the earth as the beasts jumped on their wounded bodies. Ruka's deformed body had already turned to pieces while Kaien fell down under the excruciating force of the many.

Shiki lost consciousness and Rima tried to grasp his hand in this final hour, ignoring the excruciating pain, looking for his touch as always.

"Don't go now…"

As she twisted her face to the right, between the blur curtain of her tears, she then saw it coming a wind. A bright wind that came from the woods. It seemed to erase everything around it.

Everything in her vision blurred. And her eyes shut.


	6. Amelia

Her voice felt like a pure oasis in the middle of the dessert. "Don't move…", she whispered.

He could not move anyway. It was very hard for his body to make a single move without feeling unbearable pain and the sight that he faced once he opened his eyes, was blood, blood on the carpet and on the sheets of the single bed where he was lying. Right, his blood everywhere.

"You lost a lot of blood, but you shall recover".

Wasn't she the girl from the supermarket? And this home?

"You are lucky to be still alive, it seems that you had an attack last night, these animals really ate you".

She remained silent and focused on her act.

He wanted to know more…even though each one of her touches brought pain and chills to his suffering human body, he had to know what happened.

"Where am I?"

"At my place. Relax".

"You found me?"

"Yes, I found you early this morning, unconscious some meters from here, I was ready to call for an ambulance from here to get you to the hospital, so don't move, I shall call them if needed… but now you seem better than before…were these wolfs? It looks that they bite you…you should definitely check with a doctor", she tried to explain in few words that would not heavy his condition so much.

"Wolves?" These things were…but what to tell her? That he was hallucinating? That he had lost his mind? That he saw monsters in the middle of the forest? That he had killed a man and then that man tried to kill him? If that was a man? And the bites?

He had no idea how he had survived them, but he had. He looked his black shirt that was almost shrouded to pieces. But one thing that did not make sense at all was how he escaped out of the woods.

Perhaps all of these were a hallucination? She also?

Suddenly he felt the urge to stand up.

"No, please wait!", she screamed as his efforts led him back on the bed again. He was dizzy and in pain and a wound, an awful wound at the side of his neck burned him to death.

She said a few more words but he could not focus anymore. His eyesight blurred as it was filled with a red light that seemed to flash in the room, covering the walls and the carpets, even the light of the sun.

As he tried to look back at that window, a phrase slipped through his lips. "It is so bright…"

Spontaneously this thought ached his mind like a razor that cuts the skin and then he absolutely faded again.

He woke up again late afternoon. The curtains had been drawn in place. He lifted himself from the bed and brought his palms to his face. What was happening to him? He wanted his life back and he wanted it fast. Perhaps he should see a doctor and then walk back home. Cat would be hungry. Pretend that nothing of these ever happened. Never…As he looked down at his hands, there was blood again…How could he deny the notion that he was losing his mind? Or who was he trying to fool? Himself?

He ignored the incoherent messages of his troubled mind and opened the door.

The little blonde set her eyes on him. "I am better, I need to go…I need feed my cat and rest", he insisted.

"But you are not well, are you? Listen I can go to your apartment and feed the cat, please stay or let me at least let me call a cab and get you there."

"I will take a cab, I need to see a doctor".

Amelia thought that he was stubborn. Anyway, she had done whatever she could. It was not that her life had and so many excitements or she ever got to play a significant role in something.

Until now the only thing that she had accomplished so far was to mend his cuts and bruises and get a job at the local supermarket.

"Thank you…", Kaname said as she gave him the pack with the tuna cans.

"My name is Amelia", she simply said.

"Mine is…"

"Your name is Kaname…I remember from when taking the order"

Now, clearly spelling out his name for the first time brought her a weird sensation…

"I am a professor at the local campus, check back with me if you need anything, okay?"

"Thank you then professor", she answered back.

She helped him to get the door and saw him exiting the house. As she turned her eyes back at her simple, apartment, everything appeared quite small, quite insignificant in her eyes.

What a strange, small life she had.


	7. Back to Zero

Yuu entered the base of the mountain, alone. She took out her hood and looked around searching with her glance the interiors of the desert cave.

Slowly out of the dark corner of the secret crypt, Aido and Takuma appeared. It was silent and probably safe. She looked at them with a frightful, reserved way.

"Aido-Senpai, Takuma-Senpai, did you get my message?…"

"Yuu, your father got attacked…", Takuma answered.

"But you managed to annihilate the attack in the last moment", Aido added.

Yuu nodded, that was exactly the message of her bats.

"Where are the rest?", Takuma questioned with worry.

"I lost contact, have no idea for now but…I hope that they managed it, perhaps we learn soon", she talked in a defeated way and the two nobles could not pretend that the exhaustion, the tiredness and the tension of the past months had not really started to overcome all of them.

"Perhaps it would be better to restore him, Yuu?", the vague hope inside Aido's eyes could not be hidden but neither Yuu's discomfort.

She shook her head negatively. No, that was not the will of her mother, she wanted him happy and free. She had given her life for his humanity. As he had given up his personal happiness for her mother's protection.

"No, mother would never…"

"What if he dies Yuu?", Aido skipped a beat in his heart. As long as he lived he wanted to protect the one that he loved.

"Do we have the right to interfere?", now she only wished that her brother would be here, to tell her what to do.

"Are ten years of happiness enough for a creature that lived ten thousand years and more in this dark world? Please let's fight them on our own, we shall find a way, let's not interfere him".

"But..", Aido wanted to emphasize the condition. Yuu was far more sentimental.

Takuma interrupted. "Then we shall respect your wish".

Yuu flew away to reach her brother and lifetime companion.

"Perhaps it would have been better if we had not said that to Yuu at all"…

"Well, I did not expect better", Aido highlighted with a angry face. Now they were left with their hands tied.

Takuma able to fully decode his friends reaction, padded him at the back.

"Does it feel so bad Aidou?"

Aidou's grimace changed from stiffness into bitterness and also gratefulness for Takuma. They were not young boys anymore, 1010 years had passed and time now clearly made its appearance slowly reminding them that there would be a departing day from their noble bodies as well.

"Like you don't know. It's a millennium Takuma and we respected her wish for several years but now…"

"Now let him take the pills and let's hope that they will be enough to sustain his memories and also his humanity".

"Yuu did you find anything?", Zero junior just looked at the pitiful face of his sister.

"These were the last ones that I could find at the ruined factory but I do not know if they are going to be enough", she commented in low spirits, demonstrating at his brother two small phials with a violet liquid that she had just abstracted from her pocket.

"They should do…", the younger brother firmly replied grabbing them and finally drawing a gun from his pocket.

"What is this? Where did you find it?", Yuu's eyes fell hard on the metal piece with the large inscription above its cold and smooth surface.

"From his grave…I mend the metal together", he just answered as he targeted the tree in the distance.

"Are we back so many years ago? Have we returned so back? So back?", she felt like crying. All had come to a starting point, all were null again.

"Na…we are just having a good time", Zero answered with a blank stare, putting down the gun.

"My father got attacked last night. I managed to annihilate the attack… I do not know what to do…but I..", suddenly her eyes moved down at the height of her belly.

"What you did is already enough, let's not forget that we are still able to fight and we are not alone, we are not…"

He wrapped his hands around her and their unborn child. It was hard for her but he was there – always there, never leaving her little white hand through the winters and the winds that followed their long living.

For her, and the ones she loved and believed in, this gun would target a pureblood once again. It had only two shots of anti-immortality liquid inside. Kissing her hair on the top of her head and targeting straight ahead at the same time, Zero fully understood, he just could not miss.

* * *

Her honey colored eyes could not abandon the view of that window, she was sitting at the rocking chair that she used to sit once and perhaps she saw the same clouds passing by…

Erebus Mort majestically entered.

"Why are you alone?", he questioned. "Time has come for us to finally taste the fruits of our labor.

His long figure with the long straight grey hair turned also to the window and then back to her. He put his hand under her chin.

"Rise daughter…sooner or later this kingdom shall be yours, my beautiful, Astris".

Astris let a smile to escape her lips.

"Are you happy father?", she questioned as Erebus lowered his head to her.

"I am, when I am with you, what more could I ask? Unfortunately many hardships found our family, but now we shall be able to overcome everything together. As long as we have each other…"

As pureblood beast her destiny was him. She kissed the inside of his palm, demonstrating her loyalty, as he passed it on top of her cheek.

"Don't forget that you are the future, this world I struggled to prepare is for you, my princess and my future queen".

This world and what they had made of it.


	8. Kaname!

"What are these?", Kaname's eyes concentrated on the little violet pills that now rested on professors Richmond's desk. At far as his memory told him he had never taken any kind of pill or medicine in his life – for it was not needed. And now these two little pills with that strange color seem to occupy the whole room.

"Just pills", professor Richmond said with ease, relaxing more at the armchair of his psychiatric chair. "Take them they are for a good reason, your mind shall rest…"

Kaname uplifted the two pills, something felt strange about them. Suddenly a sharp pain penetrated his mind and automatically his hand reached for his aching skull. "So many pills…so many", an inner notion made the pain worst and Richmond losing all of his relaxed posture, rushed to his side.

"Kaname please, just take them, trust me…"

He did not know where this pain was coming from, not just a physical but an emotional one, but it was unbearable. Without a second thought he swallowed them.

"Okay, from now on you shall feel a lot better..", Richmond commented and padded his back.

True, the pain in just few seconds began to fade away, now only a sore sensation remained.

"I am sorry for bugging you so late Richmond, I was out of my mind".

"No, do not apologize, it's my job, besides I am your friend and you had a shock after the attack my friend, in psychiatry we also call it, "post-trauma experience", do not worry, it will not last long.

And with these last words, Kaname exited the office, already feeling much better that at least all of these scary and sudden hallucinations of his mind could be attributed to something far lighter than what he expected. Grateful for his friend's aid, he returned back to his house where Cat had been patiently waiting for him all night.

"Come here Cat", he said feeling the urge to hold her like something valuable. And she returned the caresses rubbing her silk fur against his legs and hands. Perhaps that could be the end of the nightmare or just the beginning.

The next day he woke up with a headache, his head really hurt. He tossed the covers away and sat at the edge of the bed, just for a few minutes to recover his conscience. It all seemed so vague, so distant and suddenly this fire. He got up panicked at he could smell it, almost feel its heat, it melted everything, everything. How could he sustain this? In his hands the same stains, in his head just a blur image of a woman with no smile. Tears and regret. He stabled in his effort to reach for the door.

It seemed that the pills had no effect on him, Richmond had said that this would be all right, but it was not. Not at all. On the contrary, he was burning, aching, suffering. This thirst. He needed something. Water.

He headed for the kitchen sink and almost tossed all the glasses away in his effort to grasp something between his trembling fingers. He looked at his hands, these hands..

These hands were covered with blood, blood dropping at the sink and at the cupboards. He could not touch anything. Not without staining it with this blood…And just as he thought that he would have a heart attack, the bell rang.

Somehow the notion that there was someone outside, someone he could ask for help brought him back to his senses.

He hardly breathed, supporting himself at one of the columns.

"Yes…", he shouted.

"Kaname…that's me, Amelia", the voice said.

Last night while awake she had spelled his name multiple times.

Again and again…She was sure that it meant something because it sounded like it did and it felt that way. Now, she had decided that she wanted him to help her. Someway…anything would be better than this lousy job and that small apartment, perhaps a friendship.

"Amelia…", in his foggy mind, her name sounded like a salvation.

"Yes…Yes Amelia", she was real. At least she was real.

A piece of reality that could chase away his nightmares and hallucinations. With slow steps he walked to the door. The effects seem to withdraw.

"Hey there…", she said as he opened the door.

She could not miss that he looked a bit of a mess, his dark strands falling all over his forehead, mostly covering his red eyes.

Red eyes?, perhaps he had a bad night and did not get to sleep enough, Amelia suspected. He was in his long, black pajamas.

"I am sorry it looks I woke you", she said in an apologizing tone.

"No, not really. Come in"…

"Thank you, you do have a nice apartment".

They sat together all morning as Kaname was hesitant of letting her go. He did not what would happen if he remained again alone. So he made another round of coffee and made sure that Amelia had enough food to occupy herself. Biscuits, french croissant, marmalade, fresh butter and scrambled eggs all laid before her eyes.

"Don't you eat?" she had asked.

He never ate. Actually he never invited anyone for breakfast, but right now he was terrified with his mind would go crazy again the moment that she would close the door.

Amelia sat comfortably at the sofa enjoying her cappuccino when she saw Cat entering from the window.

"Oh your cat! She was standing by your side the morning that I found you", "What's her name?"

"Cat.."

"The name of the cat is Cat?"

"Yes, I did not know what name to give her so at first I used to call her cat and that remained."

"Oh.."

Cat headed for her bowl of tuna and the conversation twisted back again at the two.

Amelia shared a funny smile.

"What?", he asked.

"You do not look like a type that would have a cat".

"Why? Are there special requirements?"

"No, it's just I can not imagine you buying a cat"

"Oh, I did not buy her, just found her as a kitten meowing at the garbage bin. I felt sorry for her and that was it, she stayed…"

"Good", Amelia said tasting a biscuit.

"And you?".

"Me? right me…what about me"?

"Did you ever had a pet?"

Amelia's mind drifted away like she was scanning for some kind of information. Her smile turned serious and then…

"No, not really, the reality is that I can not remember"

"My parents and I were involved in a accident", she tried to explain.

Accident…parents and kid…

"What kind of accident?"

"A car accident.."

Kaname returned to an inner place. He remained silent for few seconds and so did she.

"And then?", he asked skeptical.

"Then there is a governmental institution that takes care of people that have lost their memories, but have no relatives, they found me this apartment and now I managed to get a job, you know nothing special but it's a that my parents had no fortune behind. So here I am and this is my…life..", she slowly pronounced.

"I see", he tried not to show his surprise. Their backgrounds were almost identical.

"I know its really awful not to have any memories. I am trying to make a life but it seems quite insignificant right now. Do I sound strange?"

Somehow she did but Kaname understood completely the feeling of being without a past.

How many times had he questioned himself who he was, how his life had been before the tragic accident that also took away his family? Many…but there were no answers at the back of his mind. And that sting of pain again pierced his brain, forcing him to bring his hand at the front side of his forehead.

"Kaname", she spelled out his name as he seemed lost into his own thoughts.

"M..yes?", her voice sweet and melodic draw his attention and the sudden pain just faded.

"I hope I did not scare you with these things, I know they do sound weird. Anyway I do not have enough friends yet, so do you mind if I come here to you from time to time? Unless you have a girlfriend and you do not want her to see me or…"

"No, its okay you can visit me". And with his last phrase Amelia created her first memory of a purely genuine smile.

After she left, he needed to clean the cups, spoons and plates that were around but unable to concentrate, Kaname took a moment and sat at the sofa.

He reflected her story and his story…too many similarities, too many coincidences. Only that kaname as a man of science did not believe in coincidences that much…these guys at the institution.

The two blonde guys with the green and blue eyes who looked sympathetic. He had never seen them again…

He lifted up and started gathering the plates but then the phone rang…

"Tina?" her body now laid bitten to death in the middle of the forest. The police had surrounded the area and they had let him pass only because he had a relation with her as her professor.

He wanted to see it with his very eyes. The kind of attack that had taken her life away. Her famous father cried just a few meters away and the police officer standing next to him took a pause, standing also frozen in front of her almost cut in chunks body.

"That was your student, professor?", the officer asked.

"Yes, she was.."

"It really looks bad, we are waiting the ambulance to transfer her, do not touch anything".

"Yes, I know".

Kaname closed his eyes in despair. What kind of animal could have done this to her?

He brought his hand to the wound he had at the side of his neck. The biting seemed similar. Another coincidence? Could that have been more than his imagination? The attackers and Tina. Only now he realized how lucky he had been to survive the attack.

"You say you had a similar attack two nights before?"

"Yes, it was the same"

"Can you describe the wolves?"

"No, I am sorry, I can't"

The police officer believed that Kaname was too upset right now to offer extra information. Perhaps later…

With the edge of his eye, Kaname saw Richmond approaching from the distance. He had been here earlier than Kaname but had taken a moment in the woods.

"Hey, Kaname…", Richmond saluted and Kaname went to his direction.

"Richmond…"

"The students called you as well? They have upset all campus."

"They did…"

"Did you see her? Oh boy, I freaked out, these kids just do not listen, you say to them "stay away from the woods, there is a problem", no they have to come and play it heroes of the day".

Kaname nodded his head. Right now there was another thing that really troubled his mind.

"The pills do not seem to have an effect. I was hallucinating again this morning". Kaname kept his voice really down.

"You? Again?", Richmond's glance turned a bit curious but then "Oh, come on, give it a day or two all of these are fresh to you".

Sure they were, but all the things around him seem to pile up in a rather strange and coincidental tune that Kaname's intuition did not want to trust.

"Go home and take some rest, you had enough", Richmond suggested. "You 'll see by tomorrow things are going to get a lot better".

"Tomorrow" and "better" still remained two conflicting meanings.

Kaname had lost his sleep all night, almost trembling at his sofa, unable even to reach for his bed. Feeling that he had a fever, all kind of thoughts were running through his mind. A shiver had kept him sweating and the headache was enough to send him to a coma. He did not even have the strength to get up, take a cub, go to a hospital.

At dawn, Cat resting on the couch, lifted herself and reached for the window, she used to climb up and down using the branches of the tall tree that stood next to the building.

Kaname shut his eyes. He could not even lift himself. The shiver kept him immobilized.

She hissed unexpectedly and he opened his eyes to see her in a panicked condition, moving around and around. Suddenly the window shattered and a great force invaded the space, hitting Cat, her blood stained Kaname's face and the room.

"What the fuck?"

Kaname jumped from the sofa.

His mind went crazy or else there was no explanation for what has happening. A creature, almost pale as the snow with long teeth and long hair stood in front of him. It reminded more a beast, with cold eyes, an unexpected shine they had but no mercy rested inside them.

The pureblood extended his hand and Kaname took a step back. Another shocking unexpected explosion shook the room and Kaname hit his head against the wall. As he fainted his eyes only managed to see a female figure…that stood above him shouting…

A heartbeat in the absolute darkness. His foggy mind seemed to feel the cold, seemed to sense the danger, seemed to hear her voice…

"Here we meet again, at the dark corridors at the back side of your mind. The present that I once did to you is not in vain. May it free you from the burden my existence created. As I shall break this spell, your immortality shall return for a cause …fulfill your promise to me, Kaname…"


	9. As the Light Fades Away

The ancient immortal blood rushed to his vains, aggressively consuming the weak human cells. The fragile, mortal body shattered like a thin layer of dust.

Strong…immortal…alive…again…

A fire burned him, his throat, his stomach.

A fight with the beast itself.

To sustain this…alone…the conscience was bitter…a tragic fate…a tragic desperate love for you…but the time was raw and alarming…danger…another form like him…too close…

He was only one breath away from protecting what it mattered to him and no memory, neither burning, could keep him down…an instinctual gut feeling ordered him in all menace "GET UP NOW!"

"Father!", Yuu twisted her gaze back on him with great worry. All her forces tried to hold the barrier against the pureblood form that wanted to take him away forever, but as she turned her head to him, alarmed by her senses, a wind blew that made her to shut her eyes.

The vampires that had been summoned as aid to their master in his killing mission, only managed to say "My lord.." in pure shock, as their forms turned to ashes…and the pureblood form diluted in space and time…

She opened her eyes again, it had only taken him one second and Kaname Kuran stood there again, body and soul.

Some vacant seconds passed while both recognized the existence of the other.

She approached him slowly…

"You the one that suffered an internal thirst, the fire and the steel, the pain of endless nights…you…you are my father", her tears shined and Kaname's hands touched her smooth face, now realizing.

How could he excuse himself to her?

"I know that you protected us all night and day…silently smiling father", she had missed him, now understanding just how much she had missed him.

No steel and shield can be compared to this comforting presence, no metal is greater than a soul…

How much she missed you father, how much…but no, she should not, she did not have the right to weighted more his conscience that had escaped the tortures of the fire and raw death and had return to a world which with every passing second, collapsed more and more…

"Father how will you sustain all of these?", words of sorrow that she never spoke.

Her hands touched his face and fainted smile, her tears now freely reaching her chin.

"I am sorry", he said hugging her, realizing as well that she had protecting him the same, night and day…shielding his existence, giving him happiness...she as her mother, as all of them.

Pain…as knowledge replaced ignorance, as the humanity's light deserted him into the darkness of his soul.

As he hugged her that demon stroke again more furious than ever…a thirst of 1.000 years when his heart was burned night and day, captive in regeneration forever, surfaced now, threatening and demanding, he knew that it was powerful enough to consume his logic, he would ask for an end later…right now the beatings of his heart became stronger and his eyes delved into the temptation of the flesh and blood that rested beneath him.

She understood, he needed blood and he needed it immediately.

She extended her wrist and he took hold of it; pushed by his need to escape the burn inside him, if that could ever be possible.

But as his fangs pierced her white flesh, the beating of a new immortal life became evident. Fighting hunger with consideration, his eyes lost their red color and Kaname pulled out.

She knew that he knew…

"But this blood thirst, father what shall become of it?"

And as she phrased her ultimate worries, the bell rang.

Amelia knocked the door of the apartment with great hesitation.

The problem was that she could not get an answer, it seemed that he had left, perhaps he was in the university or something.

"Kaname are you inside?". She had a feeling that he was inside somehow. As she looked again, she noticed it, blood it was coming out of the door...she panicked.

She tried to bang against the door…"Anyone in this building? Help! The deaf lady at the ground floor had no chances to hear her at all.

"Kaname if you are hurt inside, I shall go to the police to get aid…hold on".

As she banged one last time against the door, the door finally opened.

Amelia lost her color, facing an apartment that was upside down like it had been some kind of battle. A massive one actually, she made a huge amount of effort not to step on the crystals of the shuttered windows she tried to approach him. Like a tornado had past here and now.

"Are you all right?" Where you attacked by burglars?" At least he seemed okay…strange but okay…

Finally his eyes set on her and as she fully faced him, she got lost inside them, drawn to the unexplained power they emitted.

Those eyes…these wined red color eyes…

"Weren't they brown?", she almost questioned herself.

"Kaname are you all right?" , she demanded again. Somehow he was the same but also different, his face, his color, his presence. Something captivating, something that did not belong here. Him..

He stood there motionless and she did not know what to say or do…moments of silence like he was reflecting on something important.

"Go home, Amelia", he just phrased.

Had his voice been always that deep? His tone always so serious?

"No, something happened here…I can not leave you.."

"Should I force you?"

"For-ce me?" Has she dragged it that far, this interest and care for him, a humanistic interest after all that he so much wanted to get rid of her? Force her?

With wounded pride, Amelia decided that it would have been better not to bother him again. Silently she turned around and moved towards the door.

Kaname watched her patiently and then as the door closed behind him…he and Cat disappeared.


	10. Gathering

Their forms marched into the long night, night of the vampires. Through the forest, they all followed the same invisible lane.

The daughter walked in the front, escorted by the protective forms of her servants. As her steps brought her closer to the ancient landscape, the crowd bowed to her presence.

Behind her a parade of humans and vampires, all dressed in great formality, supported her raise in power.

Her father, Erebus, the Mort patriarch and current leader of their tribe, awaited her arrival, he had organized it himself, in all means to reflect the significance of that event; the world they had finally manage to restore.

The purebloods anticipated her coming as well and they twisted their heads as she entered the ancient monument. Her silhouette with the simple white dress that fall to her ankles, appeared captivating under the moonlight and her long silver hair shined under the night's cover.

The torches against the ancient rocks formed a circle and an unbreakable alliance.

In her eyes only determination existed, as she ascended the stairs to take her final position at the highest peak of the rock next to her father.

Tonight they celebrated a victory.

Erebus initiated his speech.

"After thousand of years of refraining from this realm, finally in the last ten years we managed to take back what it is ours; immortality. For we are vampires, and not humans. The last members of the institution that brought our race to the borders of elimination, finally stopped their poisons and were dealt accordingly. Their fatal cures were confiscated and their factories shut. I am proud to say to all of you today, humans and vampires that want to share immortality, that we are safe once again. And nothing shall threaten our existence. As long as I, Erebus Mort am alive to guard our tribe against the traitors. Astris, my air and successor to the throne, symbolizes the new generation, the future, where we shall remain eternal. "

The crowd applauded with ecstasy to the victorious words of their leader. Astris stepped next to her father, ready to announce the continuation.

"Dear vampires and humans, tonight we shall share bonds of liaisons and brotherhood as all the purebloods among you, will honorably share their blood with you, to …to….ensure…etern…"

She stopped, for the man that appeared to walk slowly from the entrance had stolen now the attention of the crowd. The vampires looked at each other, some of them bowed in fear and some remained completely silent, as the form of the ancestor walked among them. Erebus eyes shined with concern and hate, as he pushed Astris behind him and the league of the purebloods gathered at a circle around him, facing him now as equals.

"It's you…isn't it? The great ancestor of our times. The one that planted death among purebloods and wished to wipe us all from the face of earth…", the Hanadagi daughter said.

"A traitor…", Hio's wife would never forget.

"A killing machine", Touma added.

"A heartless beast..."

"What do you want?", the pureblood leader spoke boldly.

Kaname's eyes scanned the crowd that had gathered here. They all wanted immortality, common vampires but also humans. So many humans!

"Perhaps you should sacrifice yourself once more, but this time no human neither vampire shall follow you…"

He heard the whispers, whispers of concerns and fears, all against him.

All of these people were believing in their promises. He slowly marched, meeting Erebus at the circle at the top of the rock.

"It seems I am late... ", Kaname said with politeness facing now, Erebu's cold and hard stare.

"Stay away from our path ancestor or join us", Erebus stated with determination.

Astris made a step backwards but Erebu's hand prevented her, on the contrary, he, her father and destiny now seemed to push her at this so-called beast; the enemy of purebloods.

" This travel must have been real exhausting. Before you give yourself into madness, take her. She will soothe your long thirst. Perhaps it's not...that late."

Astris faced the most cruel side of her father. Still that was her destiny, a pureblood daughter always submitted to her lord's will or so it had to appear…

Kaname looked again at the crowd and then at the young daughter that seemed not to object.

If he accepted her that would seal the alliance between the two clans.

He was tired and the hunger inside him could any time soon surrender him to the bloodshed, how to sustain his damned nature in this world which knew no change, only despair and fire… Once more…

His hand extended to the young girl's arm and pulled her closer, what she would think of him was a different story.

With his fangs he pierced her white neck and as her blood stained the white dress, Erebus smiled sarcastically.

As a father and a pureblood that had promised to lead vampires to a new era of existence, he was proud, he had managed to tame that beast in a crucial hour. In front of his supporters. At least for now.

The crowd applauded and the vampires bowed, welcoming to their ranks the one who had found his path to redemption, even with a delay of ten thousand years.

The rest of the purebloods though remained untouched. Touma had his eyes fixed on that animal.

Yuu fearlessly watching the gathering through the eyes of her familiar placed her hand on her belly. What would they become?


	11. Return

"My dear Astris, as your steps distance from mine, in this long night, you should hear my praise; for in your shoulders, I appointed a difficult task. May my love comfort your soul, as you fulfill your role and your promise to your race. With love, dad".

She blinked her eyes, whispering words that where addressed mainly to herself..."go away", she hardly said, refusing to communicate.

"What?", Kaname asked thinking that she had said something for him.

She remained calm and did not answer, just kept walking, what seemed a rather lonely walk..

Indeed, the road for the return of the ex-vampire king to his mansion was a silent one. Astris followed Kaname's back in a slow pace as he took his time seeking changes in the climate, the landscape, the air, everything that had happened in these 1.000 years.

Finally they reached the isolated mansion. This was the legendary Kuran Mansion that had been left as it was in the memory of the ones that sacrificed themselves for peace and prosperity. As they reached the interior, she removed her long cape. The atmosphere was heavy, burden with bad memories. She could sense them. So much sadness around, that the walls were ready to consume her with their weight.

He moved towards the stairs, ready to be lost inside this house, but she, who had remained silent on the way, considered that she should better speak up now, before he would enter his private chambers.

"What you did. Did you mean it? Should I thank you or should I worry?"

He turned around and his eyes focused on her presence, like he had almost forgotten that she also existed in the room. His concentration was elsewhere for his heart had wrapped in the memories, every corner and spot…It all seemed like a distant nightmare of a vague, bitter past…almost surreal to him now.

Still, Astris' voice did not let him concentrate, bringing him back into a reality, a reality he had no idea if he honestly cared to know…

"Will you answer me?"

"I do not know to what thing you are referring to."

He did know, but she guessed that right now he wanted to remain alone. His eyes told her that…

"I see, perhaps you want to remain alone, it's probably not a good hour but nevertheless, even if you do not wish truly to interfere, I should at least be grateful for your aid so far".

Kaname nodded typically, so typically was almost indifferent.

"But then… if you truly do not wish to interfere then you shall become one and the same with the beasts that you fought to kill. A spectator of your own history? Is that what you want?"

Her presence was a real nuisance to his inner despair, however he should tolerate her, even for a little while.

"Why do you betray him?", he requested in a low tone, disregarding her questions and remarks.

"Because if I don't betray him, I will betray someone else", she meant every word she said, and he could hear it through the way she pronounced it.

"A betrayal is still a betrayal", he noticed.

Her head twisted to the side. She had all the good intentions, and yet he did not trust her and this was his way to express his disbelief.

"I see. But the same goes for you too", she returned the question.

There was no answer he was willing to give.

"Is this what humanity does? Numbs you so bad?", she remarked, becoming more impatient with his style and the slow pace that this conversation went.

"You used to mean, to mean something to the ones that resisted the notion that vampires can have this the world, just because they can, so are you truly going to sit back and wait, while your own daughter is in danger here?"

"You talk too much…", he responded, changing his direction and heading for the sofa.

He almost seemed to her like a dead walking corpus, not a real vampire, yes that was the main problem she could see here. If he couldn't get his fire and passion back, then he would be useless to her cause. She needed him, but not like this.

Kaname on the other hand, did not appreciate her tongue, nor her style. She was rude, aggressive and had put him at the court's stool for judgment before committing a crime. In this life at least.

There was an undoubtedly truth or care in her words…yet, he did not wish to confront it now.

"Go on with what you have to do…", he suggested.

She relaxed. At least he permitted her to proceed…

"Do you mind if I go out? I shall return to feed you and honor the alliance".

He distanced himself and Astris turned her back heading for the exit.

Her wind twirled at the half-opened door and she flew to the unknown.


	12. Opposition

Like the dessert he felt… so drained and exhausted, condemned now to an eternal thirst that would know no end and no salvation. He brought his hand to his face. "No salvation", it seemed that the eternal grace or the divine justice had just finished with his case.

Case closed. Condemned forever. His logic banked against the walls of this notion unable to accept, what he had, what he lost and what he came back to find.

A part of him was like he had never deserted that realm, another one refused to come back. "You are dead, dead…you should be dead."

Love can save…Love kills…her sacrifice. For him. How to add all these notion together? He knew what he had to do, but still had not captured the whole way to fulfill it.

For now he could only remain alone to grieve and to remember, the feeling of being loved, lost into her bright eyes, how much pain had he given her?

Perhaps he deserved that punishment after all.

His eyes became darker…her last memories, her cries and little sounds…

"You were pregnant and I…arrogant, always that arrogant! I who made that choice. I, the one that wanted to make you happy".

"Did you cry when you first saw the eyes of our daughter as they opened to face the world that we had prepared for her? When you heard her first laughter?"

"Afraid to capture you in my inner turmoil, afraid so much…loving you that much…wanted to give an end to your torture, wanted to give an end to me, wanted to find a cause that could justify my existence instead of giving you pain. I thought I knew…better"

Sitting at his mausoleum, like all the thoughtful moments of his life, Kaname Kuran needed his time to figure out his emotions. He did not know if he would ever be able to recover from the last period of his life; where to find the courage and the strength to mend his wounds, and start all over again?

Suddenly, the realm of his inner torture was interrupted as his vampire instincts sensed to the floor right above two existences from literally another life.

"Aido..Takuma." A sparkle lit up in his eyes and heart only to fade away again the next second. Still a thought truly irritated him; "Astris!"

Her little surprise had found him unprepared.

Then he smiled to himself; Really? Did any of these really mattered?

He got up.

"Well, well, look who I found as I was returning", Astris joked while Kaname approached to the door of the living room.

She did not have time to finish her sentence, not really because Aido stood still only for a while and then his arms opened like the wings of an eagle at a long flight, and wrapped around the pureblood. He should not, but Aido Hanabusa, could no longer stop the feelings rushing out of his heart.

Kaname shared a glance with Takuma that only smiled from afar, a bitter "hello" for all they shared.

Aido though refused to let go, squeezing him even harder.

"Are they lovers?"Astris questioned standing next to Takuma. The sight was amusing to her eyes.

"Depends on who of the two you ask", Takuma said trying to diffuse the emotionally loaded atmosphere.

"Okay…", Astris accepted and Takuma joined that hug, padding Kaname's back and also hugging Aido who pushed him away.

Through his tears of joy, Aido did not mean to share this hug with anyone.

"Kaname, Aido wants to throw me away…", Takuma teased.

"How cute, okay can we get back to business?", Astris asked with a touch of innocence.

"Pureblood…", despite liking Astris, Aido hated her interruption.

Thirty minutes later, Astris and the nobles had summarized the situation, sitting at the dining table, only kaname stood still next to the window, allowing them to freely discuss.

From what he made out of their discussion, young Astris Mort was indeed a leader, but not the leader of Erebu's dreams and great expectations, rather the leader of the resistance.

And if someone wanted to dramatize the situation, could say that Astris was indeed resistance herself her with her own intentions and goals.

And such intentions and goals sounded always stupid to his ears. Full of romantic notions about the future of humans and vampires. Yet, his true colors he conveyed in all grace, since now they all confronted the same danger. For now, her dreams he had no intention to destroy. Therefore he remained silent.

"Patience", he thought, even though the notion that he should wait and tolerate all of these events made him to want to blow something. If they would live him alone perhaps the walls would not remain the same for so long, yet the way the things had evolved, the same notion passed through everyone's mind.

"The purebloods have formed a liaison, as my father promotes the "You can also be immortal" campaign", even humans drink water to his name. It's very hard to reverse all these…"

"We should restore the cure," Takuma suggested thinking that many humans turned into vampires but also humans that were under the influence of the pureblood's blood would benefit and be released, if they could only get the cure, somehow…

"I do not see and anyone who shall take it with their own will. The ones that wanted to be changed to humans have already abandoned our realm and the ones left behind want their immortality intact. It would have been perhaps a fair cause, if my father was actually true about it, as I am at least", Astris resumed.

"We should have predicted that" , Aido hinted.

"Purebloods are not predictable…", Astris laughed. "At least now we can protect ourselves, it is a start", she mentioned looking back at Kaname.

"If you are just going to sit back and watch, at least you can act as our shield, tomorrow I shall bring and the rest..", Astris added.

"Rest?"

"Kain, Ruka, Shiki and Rima, do you remember? They used to be your friends and they hardly survived the attack my father launched against them. Yet, they survived."

"Astris saved them Kaname", Takuma clarified.

Kaname took a deep breath. Astris had done a lot. The same thought probably was in Takuma's mind as well.

"Astris is a great kid isn't she? I do not know where we would have been without her help so far".

"Oh come on…I made it the last minute, it is very hard for me to pass unnoticed, only moving when Erebus gets some sleep and in remote areas, yet…they were badly hurt, I gave them blood to restore their health. Now they can get a roof…isn't that a great beginning for our little opposition?".

Kaname just kept watching her. She was bold…far too bold indeed.

It did remind him of Yuuki, in a distant way. A melancholic tone of old recollections spread to his gaze…

"Hey, ancestor…."

Astris voice just brought him back again from his internal wanderings.

"What?", he sharply said. He was annoyed with her constant interruptions, just when his mind drifted to his favorite girl, she would just…

"Dinner time", she just said.

The two nobles understood that it was their time to hit the road for the rooms, after 1.000 years of torture, Kaname needed a decent feeding.

"Aido, thank you for", Kaname said as the proud noble reached the door.

"You are welcome, Kaname-Sama, even though in the past I would say that your beauty should remain eternal and…"

"That's enough, Aido", Takuma almost shouted pulling Aido's hand.

Kaname looked at him with a bittersweet smile. He had change, all of them had.

Astris was also laughing. The good spirit in the atmosphere opened the way for her…

"They are not leaders, you know", she commented approaching.

"What?"

"They are not leaders, they are scientists, politicians, nobles, but not leaders, and they could not have foreseen where the alteration of the good vampires to humans would lead", she commented. "Unfortunately they stand alone in a world that turned against them. You saw it yourself, now they are considered the traitors of the vampire race, they have nowhere to hide apart from here.

Most of the vampires that had chosen the institution's way are no longer vampires to support them, that opened the way for the purebloods that were left at the border only to come upfront when the conditions permitted it. It was easy to come up with an ideal when there was no opposition left. But that was not their mistake, they used your research to cure vampirism, they did not have bad intentions. Are you going to leave them? I know that you may think that there is nothing that you can do, I know that this is not your problem anymore, you fought your wars, it's okay…but they need help. And the ones that took the cure and turned to common humans…even a simple level-e can eliminate them, they need support. Someone has to say to them that all of these were about the right cause and not just for a pureblood beast to come and easily kill them one day."

"Someone? That will be you princess?"

"I have no leading ambitions, I just want…"

"Revenge?"

"I call it justice".

Despite her sayings, his glare remained unaffected.

"Perhaps one day you shall understand more, if you stay around. I am here to sustain you, you are our shield, only for that cause, I shall align myself with your", she hissed.

Kaname's interest moved to her neck and the blue vein that provocatively stood under his sight.

She noticed him.

"You are important for our protection, so…", she phrased offering him her wrist, "Have as much as you need to restore yourself", she added.

Wrist? She should be in a delusional state thinking that so much thirst and internal pain could be satisfied with a slight biting at the wrist.

So he just pulled her closer and ditched his fangs to her neck, feeling no longer fear nor guilt as eventually only death could give an end to this thirst as no bond could ever replace hers.

There was no use in guilt, hesitations and inhibitions. He was a pureblood vampire captured in an eternal timeline, and she would unavoidable sustain his thirst simply because there was no either way he could pull this through. Being dead inside was the answer to all; crimes, fears, guilt.

And if nothing could work on him, neither spells nor cures, at least the coffin at the basement still existed.

Nevertheless, the next night while he was lost into his thoughts with Cat silently snoring next to him, she returned to him, full of questions about the basement.

"What is behind the doors?", she asked standing in front of him.

He sat at his sofa into a relaxing posture…

"A mausoleum", he answered.

"I thought of asking your permission but I shall turn it to a laboratory so the guys that can work in creating anti-immortality potions and curing treatments that we need".

"Do not destroy the coffin"…he just pointed out.

She brought flowers to her grave. Her supposed grave. Astris placed them at the stone and Kaname landing just some steps away approached her from the back…

"Even though we are creatures of the shadows, a memory is still a comforting thing", she peacefully commented like excusing herself.

The air started to slowly blow.

"Your mother…"

"She took good care of us, she learned us things but they were in vain", she added. "So much effort and then nothing… But if we win this war and bring peace again, all that she did will not be in vain. Do you agree?"

She was not easily discouraged, yet her memory brought up so much pain and love, mostly love that now found its expression in the small tears that she tried to hide.

"Yes…"

"You should sorrow enough or you wont be of any use to us, try to at least", she whispered turning around.

"I am fine"

"You are stubborn. Deep down I am sure that you are anxious to kill them all. I know though it's yourself the one that you are anxious to kill."

Kaname remained silent as she distanced herself.

Erebus spies crossed the sky and Kaname lifted his eyes to the dark clouds. He should finish this.

Astris while walking away heard explosions behind her and drops of blood fell to her feet, coloring the brown ground...

She bitterly smiled.

And so they started.

One week passed where Astris managed to lead and the other members of the ex-night class to the safety that Kaname represented. The union brought more pain and memories.

Ruka, that had managed to heal with the aid of Astris' blood, almost lost it and cried sincerely.

Kain and Shiki were the ones that had the less words to speak and Rima did not hesitate to tell him that memories were bitter as well as happy.

Aido and Takuma with relief welcomed their friends and showed to them the progress that had been made. The old mausoleum had turned into a lab, they still needed equipment and chemicals but they added them in slow pace so that the spies that surrounded the mansion would not understand what the deliveries of new goodies and furniture concerned. Astris took the blame as a pureblood princess, wanted to make her new residence as comfortable and as personal as possible. The innovation of the Kuran mansion had started and so under Kaname's shield and protection, the opposition had started.

(She did though take the opportunity to replace the furniture on her bedroom, even though Ruka insisted that these were exquisite furniture of the 16th century and Takuma was stuck in the middle moving the armchair up and down, while the girls made a fuss above his head).

Kaname indifferent to all, had given the Kuran mansion to the team's accommodation, spending small moments with his old friends, listening to their stories. But they all felt the gap. It would take time for everyone. When Kaname felt that his pain became too real, when their discussions crossed with her memories, he would withdrew to his dark and cold room. And there he spend most of the time, leaving the house to Astris' and the nobles availability. Even though they were times that he was regretful of it. Such as when the Hanadagi's descendants came to pay a visit.

Kaname at the top of the stairs was ready to throw curses for all eternity, his hand grabbed Astris wrist just as she was ready to rush down the stairs and salute them, seeing them standing at the aisle, expecting her.

"What the hell?".

Hanadagi's air, a charismatic young man with prestige and charm and his younger sister, remained unaffected to his threats, as Astris managed to release herself from the grab and rush to their side.

"They are my friends, I called them for a visit".

"Friends?". Who opened the damned door? Ruka's glance turned down to the tiles as she faced Kaname's enraged glare, she had warned Astris, but Astris had shown indifference to her exclamations.

"Hazard, Elena, welcome", Astris said with enthusiasm.

"You are captivating as always Astris, and did I notice that you changed style at the hair? I should bite you, one of these days. Do you mind flirting my old friend a bit, ancestor? It's an old custom of our fellowship, she would be insulted if I didn't."

His sister shrouded his shoulders; "As usual, Astris monopolizes his interest every time".

"And you too, look beautiful Elena, here let's have some tea and you can share the news, how is it going?"

Astris was on a "fishing" expedition and as she crossed the corridor, leading her friends to the comfortable living room, Kaname cursed again and again the new pureblood generation that had managed to escape the fires and threat of his blade with their tactics. When this comedy would be over? He turned around to live the youngsters to their dreamland.

He could hear them from below, preparing new plans, setting the future ahead and he did not care. Could not care. He tried though.

Yuu used to came in the late hours and one of these times, she told him that soon she would introduce to him Zero who had been seeking the new bases of the beats, moving in secrecy. He laughed.

Perhaps one of the few times that he felt warmth was under her gaze.

It was only through that warmth that he found one of these times the courage to ask.

"Was she happy?"

She looked at him, his really pitiful existence…

"She lived a long time, she was happy in her own way".

He hugged her sitting at the bed besides her, she could feel his heart furiously beating to her mother's reference. She sensed his sorrow and his grief. She touched him back caressing his hair with light strokes.

"I guess it is okay", she thought. "To return back to a place where pain staggers you, to feel that you will break in two. It's okay to let go, father…"

She closed her eyes holding him. "You are here again. Please fight for us and for you this time", she finally said.

Later, while laying to his bed, almost ready to fall asleep, he heard the conversation of the two girls that stood at the stairs.

"I think that I made him worst today", his daughter's voice said.

"Give him time, at least we know he is alive inside, he feels pain. He shall come around", that was Astris' voice.

"Thank you for taking care of him", Yuu responded with a hug that Astris welcomed.

Kaname closed his eyes and fell asleep. Perhaps that blank could last forever?

Certainly not, as Astris early in the midday of the following day pulled the curtains apart, forcing Kaname to delve further into the cozy darkness of his covers.

How he could not stand what as a human he had cherished; the sunshine. These happy fragments of light would never return. The pain woke up together with his consciousness.

"Wake up, we need to talk.."

Now? Couldn't she wait until the evening? A part of him rebelled to the idea that a little pureblood girl was bossing him around, another part could not care less. He found a liberation in the fact that he did not have to do much here, despite the fact that sooner or later, he should found the exit out of this world and this masquerade would end, once and for all, crushing the dangers but also their illusions.

"Just a little bit longer, Kaname".


	13. Defining Paths

He entered the dining room where everybody had gathered.

Astris stood up opposite to Kaname who lingered at the column of the door and once again tried to summarize where they were standing.

"As you know the purebloods have gathered many forces and now the work under the umbrella cause of saving the vampire world from facing an extinction, promising immortality to whoever buys. As they have a cause and an ideal to sell, more vampires support them and using their connections and power, human populations have either traded their humanity for vampire benefits or their consciousness has been latched by the power of blood. Restoring the cures that they destroyed is not enough, we also need to face their policy and create an opposition, therefore we need to start from somewhere also gathering forces".

They all seemed skeptical. Even though this part was necessary so that they could stand an open war later on, still in practice was quite difficult to actualize it.

"Unfortunately, so many of our supporters have turned in humans, taking the cure, they live a happy life in light, and….", Takuma said.

"But there must have been some supporters of the monarchy left", Astris commented.

"The field is still blurred, we need to know which families are trying to distance themselves and hide their intentions in an effort to protect themselves but how?", Aido added.

"One idea is to organize an event that would summon the old forces of the mornachy, perhaps to celebrate Kaname's return?", Ruka proposed, not sure about her own idea.

"A party?", Rima questioned, feeling bored already, so much work, who would speak with all these families?

Astris returned her gaze to Kaname…

"Perhaps uncovering their plans for domination both to humans and to vampires would be easier", he offered guidance.

Astris and the others looked at each other. Until now they had no evidence that this was about greed and power, domination and not ideals. Apart from Astris' personal experience of course.

Kaname saw the silent faces.

"Doesn't your father have a weakness to reveal?"

Astris reflected some things but then negative…

"No…"

"Tomorrow I shall return to the human world".

The little voices of pure disagreement that he heard was not part of a reaction he did not wait to hear.

Aido and Shiki were the first that resisted such an idea…

"Kaname-Sama!"…

"We need you here!"

Astris saw the angry faces, the frustration hidden in their eyes, even Takuma put his head down in a move of pure disagreement.

"How can you do such a thing in such an hour?", she protested standing now inches away.

Only Ruka remained silent. "If this is for the best…"

Astris could not believe her ears.

"Thank you Ruka", Kaname added and exited to clear his thoughts.

Aido was in the verge of chocking her. She was lucky that Kain stood beside her.

"How could you say this?", Aido almost screamed.

"Quite insensible considering our situation", Rima reflected.

"Well I trust him, that's all", Ruka pointed out.

"Okay, later I shall go and talk to him, perhaps he has no plans to remain there but just to take a break?", Astris proposed.

The team remained uncomfortably silent.

"Okay, let's go back to business, we have a cure to make and we still need to compose more chemicals", she resumed.

At least concentrating on something could really help them overcome even this sudden revelation. Meanwhile she had another task to perform as she promised to them.

She found Kaname lounging at his sofa upstairs.

"How thoughtless", she commented.

Kaname twisted his gaze to her slim figure that looked at him with a great consideration and mischief.

"You want me to party?", he questioned ironically.

His slow-speech, yet purely sarcastic tone only angered her.

"Politics, that's why we do it, we do not seek entertainment, even though with all this misery in here, we should demand it…"

There, was she sarcastic enough?

Kaname smile softly to her efforts, even though a part of her saying was unavoidable truth.

"You know, a part of me also lingers to the light, I can not live in the pitch dark".

Dark pitch the house? And the new candle-lamps? She had put them one by one herself, last week. The ungrateful.

"You call this dark pitch, what about the new chandeliers? Ha? Ten thousand grand from Tifanny".

Kaname got up with an indifferent tone, making his suitcase.

"Send them with fax", he replied.

"Oh so…now we are vampires, not even good for you…"

"Since you fail to understand it's fine, yet I am not going to remain here waiting when your political connections to give us a resolution, I am going to go back".

"And us?"

"Even if this places you at risk, it's still a risk, I am willing to take…" he just said.

Astris had completely lost with his bold ways. What was it? Was it so hard for him to remain at least stagnant in this position so that they could take advantage of the shield he could offer? Did they ask that much?

"If it is to return to human world, at least you should take enough blood to have your conscious clear, I would hate what could happen if you lost it…"

The part that Kaname was afraid most was that she could lost it at some point…

"I have seen endless souls to turn into ashes in order to service a cause but the world never changed. Step back, now, that you have time to save parts and bits of your own happiness."

"Betray them? Would you do that?"

"Leave this task to me", he explained.

"Why should I do this?", she demanded.

"Have you ever thought of the consequences? How far are you willing to go?"

"You do not see, right? You still believe that I am in incoherent little girl trying to save the day to justify my ambitions. Though your words are spoken with care, gentle-hearted, they are an illusion only to persuade me to step back, because you do not trust me."

Kaname had to admit that she was correct in her assumptions. His eyes told her that she was right.

"So know for once and for all learn and try to accept that there is nothing that I would not do in order to protect the ones that I love and the ones that once loved me."

"Oh is it really so important then?"

"If I let them down or disgrace their memory, the picture of the girl they protected will turn apart, then who shall I be? You think that death is the end don't you? But it's not. I do not see it that way…it's a passage…so that the one can open a path for the next one to live on. Nothing is in vain if you know how to use it. And if my death opens the way for the ones that I love to live the next day, I shall be proud".

"As I shall break this spell, your immortality shall return for a cause …fulfill your promise to me, Kaname…", her words returned to him more loud and clear.

"You better find another argument to scary me, that trick its old. I will try at least, either you trust me or not, I will", Astris determined voice brought him back.

"So much determination…you are so alive Astris, perhaps I could use a taste of your life now…"

She extended her hand as he captured her figure in his arms and she deeply inhaled as his fangs sunk into the perfect smooth skin of her pureblood nature.

"Take it, if my blood can be useful enough, to sustain your eternal hunger or to push back your madness, if only the fire in my heart could touch yours, and replace the order of the world, take it…for the ones that I love, perhaps for you also… it's nothing else that I can really do for you. If you have nothing to care about, live for a cause, a cause makes trapped in the same story, kaname", she reflected.

Her heat and fire…which he consumed it with great thirst, travelled to his heart, even though not for him, but for her cause, there was some care inside. And he as a pureblood vampire consumed her life to fuel his own. That really meant to be a monster. Yet, an unavoidable mistake of nature, that had to survive, perhaps to erase others, far more lethal mistakes. Yes he had a cause to fulfill, and so did she, ironically believing that they stood at the same sides though.

Their paths started the same but separated at their ends, and yet she did not know that part, not yet.

After some time, he let her go and as the nobles gathered at the front door to say their good byes for now, he kindly placed a finger on her nose.

She was still irritated though, reflecting his decision, which had the nerve to make it action in front of her eyes.

"Take care of the chandeliers for me", he said, and the nobles held their laughter with great difficulty.

"What a stupid line", Rima considered but did not say as Kaname's form vanished from their eyes.

Astris looked at the dark horizon, had she missed something here?

"Have you fulfilled your role, dear child? Be careful of your soul. Misplaced trust is a crime done to yourself, not others. Love Dad."


	14. Preparations

Bodies…and death…fires in the lands…ashes and discomposure, the lava of the volcano parted the land in two…so much fire that the grounds of the earth could not hold. Earthquakes shook even the last rocks pushing them to the absolute void. There was no safe passage left…only the deadly cliffs that burned and the endless gorges with the oceans of hot fire, wild it leaped from the guts of the earth.

They could only scream, they could only die, the one after the other, humans whose fate was to face the death of their beloved as the bodies melted in the heat, struggled with fire, left their last breath next to each other. Mostly children and youngers as the elders had abandoned the fight for life far before. Humans that faced the death of the ones they cherished just to be the next ones to follow. Despair in the lands, in the hearts...in the eyes.

Next morning, only dessert…an ancient dessert, uninhabited from any sign of life.

Amelia woke up in pure sweat. 4.00 am. Again. She woke up with his name in her lips. It was tangled just like herself. "Why?" Her anxious, melancholic self delved more and more into the loneliness.

She did not try to find him another time after she had left his apartment, but he neither showed up to hers.

She tossed to the other side. Her thought was to him several days now, even though she had no idea why. She liked him and that she could not deny, but she had not the courage to face him again. Who was she after all to care that much about such a man? Or why such a man would care for her insignificant existence on earth. Strange…

* * *

Zero left his motorcycle far away. In the desert the abandoned factory remained like a ghost of another era. Nothing could suggest that this place once was full of human workers that earned their living by taking care the productions of medicines. One of which was and the latest cure for vampirism.

It was days now though that the opponent's forces had left it deserted after draining all of its resources, taking equipment and copying its technology.

With caution he proceeded to the storage rooms, they were empty. No more meds anywhere. The windows after the attack were broken, he watched his step, a nasty cut could attract all of these dogs around here. His investigation at the ex-factory that had been the main production vehicle for the anti-immortality medicine, turned fruitless. Another one that they had destroyed. Three factories the one after the other had met the same fate.

He was ready to step out when a man laughed behind his back. He half-turned around, his torso still pointing to the exit. Black blouse, trousers, and still he was a human. Another one, working now for them.

"Oh there is nothing left here, but if you are looking for them…"

He stopped.

"Yes?", he phrased without even looking at him.

"Perhaps, I could tell you where they are if you gave me a taste of your blood".

Zero blinked his eyes in pure disgust. Such low pathetic creature…

His hand grabbed the small blade at his belt and with a sharp move he cut his wrist. The man awaited until a satisfactory red little pool gathered at the ground. Just as Zero finished bending his wound with his scarf, the man started laughing.

"You fool.."

Five to six vampires, jumped on him immobilizing him to the ground. He had to confess that it did not take them long to appear and yet he could manage it. He owned that to his father's legacy and to his mother's genes. The little blade turned into a javelin and with that he managed to push them all away. As he twisted his torso in all directions, the vampires fell down the one after the other turning to dust. The sharp pointed edge of the weapons stopped at the man's throat.

The man panicked losing all of his laughter. Zero had a prisoner. And he had better to start talking.

* * *

"Kaname…"

"Hi Amelia…"

Their eyes met and she shyly smiled.

However the sudden visit, she was happy to see him standing at her door, the attack did not seem to have left any bruises on him, even though he did seem a bit 'different'. Perhaps it was the deep wined color of his eyes or his air that made him a bit different than usual?

"Come in…"

He got into the little apartment with slow moves, he should be careful in all ways.

"I am sorry for the other day…I was rude", he phrased.

"Oh, its okay, since you are here, it's okay", she spoke too openly and too caring and he just felt responsible.

"I am afraid that my presence here may cause you nothing more than unnecessary trouble", he said as he sat at one of the chairs that accompanied a small round table.

"Oh no", she exclaimed while sitting next to him. "Why do you say that?"

He vaguely smiled.

"It's only truth".

"No, don't feel that way, here I shall make some tea", she suggested while walking to the kitchen.

"I won't sit long…"

"Tell me your news", she yelled back at him from the kitchen.

"Nothing special, but I think that I found you a better job".

The water spilled on Amelia's hands. So he cared. He cared for her.

"You did?", she jumped from the kitchen next to him.

"Yes, at the university they are asking for a librarian assistant. They shall review your c.v."

"C.V? Oh, yes, I should prepare something like that".

"Okay, then take your time and perhaps I shall drop tomorrow morning to pick it up", he suggested.

"Okay but wont you stay for tea?"

* * *

He didn't. He thought that some peace, a break after all these expected him at his old apartment but…

"Hi…you should not leave the windows open because apart from your cat, you may have and other visitors", Astris said majestically dropping herself in one of the leather sofas.

Of course she was joking cause after the attack there were no windows.

Kaname closed the door and moved inside removing his coat.

"You are following me?"

"Me and another two purebloods, but it's not like you do not know".

He almost acted like she had not spoken at all, taking out his coat in a slow, steady rhythm and placing it at one of the sofas. Despite that, she did not seem discouraged .

"So, what happened here? Erebus found your spot?"

"Apart from trying to kill me your father seems to like me so much that he even gifted you to my pleasure...should I say more for his good intentions?"

Meanwhile, Astris found amusement in scanning the room and looking at some photos from Kaname's human years.

"A here you are skiing, I never tried all these humans delights..ah about my father, he has style, you can not deny that…well you did look appetizing like a human, now you turned into a heavy lunch. M…you should fix the windows, people will wonder how you can survive here without dying from pneumonia…..humans are so curious and peculiar, some feed tuna their cat, pure kitty, instead of raw salmon, do they realize that they are animals, right? The cats, I mean..aouts".

She protested as Kaname's hands took his pictures and placed them to the side, removing them from her hands in a rather rude and sudden way.

She turned serious lifting herself from the couch, comedy time was over. Fine, she could live with that.

"I only came here to inform you that the direction that you are looking at…has nothing to offer you…a little entertainment perhaps but nothing more, don't waste your time."

"Go back", he laconically said.

"Oh, yes the chandeliers are going to miss me, tell me what are you trying to do here? You know the matter concerns me as well, she is not a person that could afford to be hurt in any way. I would appreciate it if you did not get her hopes high, especially since there is no reason about it".

"Remain where I placed you…I will not change my decisions. "

"Not, if your decisions are diverting you and us from the real trouble".

Really, how he tolerated her constantly demanding and persistent nature? Perhaps, because he excused her youth and her good intentions, still she was becoming quite of a hindrance.

"Astris, it's time to go back…"

She shook her head negatively. "Tell me why…", she insisted.

"I shall tell you when I know, for now you are irritating me, and I am surprised how well you kept hiding these traits with Erebus."

"That's so unfair…", she protested.

How? No, she did not want to tell him how, neither wanted to explain to him the inner despair and the emotions of injustice that had accompanied her last years.

The nights, the times…the cries…the ones that came from the people she loved but she had to stay tall, for them…she really could not explain how it felt to be torn in two, love and despair turning to hate, misery to indifference, wishing to the stars that the life of her own father could end, wishing she could do it. Still sustaining anything so that she could give courage to the ones that needed her. Even him.

Sensing now that something deeper, something heavier tortured her he softened his tone.

"I know that you keep an eye on me because I am the only shield you have. Its okay for I consider it to be a good sign."

She inhaled deeply, yes, she was afraid, she had made a huge amount of effort to get here, to save the nobles, to hide her own self.

After all, it was not in the nature of purebloods to trust so easily one another, despite the fact that this pureblood across the room was different from anyone that she had met in her short life. Yet, that was what he was, a pureblood.

One wrong step and they could all go to hell…

All these thoughts run through her little head as Kaname managed to settle somewhere comfortable at the couch.

"Go back…", he reminded her.

"Allow me to sleep here at least, I am tired and…"

And she did not know when to quit…Kaname also did not know what to do with her. Her sorrow and worry were written all over her face.

"So be it…but only for tonight".

And that was for tonight.

* * *

She did not have the time to open her eyes, or even to fully wake up her consciousness as Kaname threw her into the realm of space and she found herself, abruptly transferred to the forest across the Kuran Mansion.

She dashed to the entrance and the vampires that accompanied Erebus bowed to her hurrying figure. She managed to get in, in time.

Erebus twisted his head at the direction of his daughter.

"Father", she bowed herself now resuming the old pureblood ways.

Erebus took a look around at the empty salon.

"Where are they? His friends, where do you hide them and why?"

Astris swallowed her tongue but only for a second.

"After what you did to them it's only natural to hide, they are afraid", she stated.

Erebus slapped her hard enough to remind her who she was, while the chandeliers of the chateau, flickered once and twice, at the pureblood's anger.

"After WHAT I DID? After what I DID to traitors of vampires? Who is the "traitor" here?"

She had lost her breath to the sharp pain. At the same time the men that were searching the house returned back to Erebus.

"Nothing my lord, the house is empty.."

"I see…"

Erebus dragged Astris from the arm close to his blood colored eyes. His tone was low, yet menacing and the grab at her arm forceful enough to make her scared.

"Do you remember what you ought to do with him?"

She shook her head affirmatively.

"I do not see results Astris…perhaps you should care more about our lineage than his friends…your blood should bind him to you. That's all I ask from you from now. And another little thing…tonight, you shall honor the alliance and you shall take your position as my successor. Tell him that he has to prove his intentions. Humans shall wait for him to change them. He better appear… if he wants this alliance to last and his friends to keep breathing" and with these last words Erebus released the bruised Astris.

He distanced himself from her but his majestic figure became hesitant as he approached the door. As he had seen a mistake, a great mistake in all of these.

"My Astris, I am sorry…I just love you so much, but you know this already, it's my deepest fears that dragged me to extremes, you are mine, do not forget this".

She didn't, she never did…in her nightmares, and in her days, and in her nights.

"We are off", Erebus said without turning around.

After the company of the vampire leader disappeared, she in a rush jumped to the library case, releasing the old volume from its place, the stairs to the basement twirled and she ran to her friends.

The old night class was okay. Hidden between the thick walls of the hidden passage, the nobles went on with their research despite Erebus sudden attack on their basis.

" No need for worries", Aido said as Astris asked them if they were okay.

"He is close, we won't be able to cover ourselves any longer, it's only a matter of time", Astris worried.

Ruka approached touching the pureblood girl.

"We wont stand back as cowards, if he is to find out let it be, we are ready".

Astris looked at their face, their full of certainty eyes told her that they would not stop fighting.

She was skeptical though..

"What is it?" , Takuma suggested.

"He wants us to change humans tonight", she said. Her eyes looked upon Aido for a result, a promise, a hope.

"It still needs plenty of time for the cure to start reacting to all these chemicals…No.."

Great news she had tonight as the alliance was ready to crush, and with that all of her hopes.

She loved to have him around and now even his hurrying visit to get the CV brought her pure joy. She stood at the door handing him that piece of paper.

"But Kaname…", she said as he made a turn to leave after thanking her for being so precise.

He stood…

"I should really thank you, won't you come for dinner?", she asked. "Tonight?", he suggested.

"Tonight", Amelia's heart flew to the ceiling. Tonight, she should turn beautiful, just for him.

Astris of course had her own disagreements about "tonight".

"I got a slap from Erebus and you are still hopelessly fooling around", she complained the moment she landed at Kaname's apartment.

"Ah, that's how he keeps you in line...", he said, disregarding the hint about Erebu's visit..

"Is that all you have to say?", she threw a fist.

"What else?"

"Erebus invited us to the next gathering. He wants you to change humans as a token of respect for the alliance".

"Changing humans was not part of any alliance…."

Obviously he was irritated. Yes, he was, Kaname Kuran felt provoked in the core of his existence after Erebu's demand; for reasons of revenge, no other.

"But are you coming?", Astris asked, realizing that Kaname could indeed be quite abrupt despite the stoic style that surrounded him.

" I am going to have dinner…and stop bossing me around, I am tired of your style."

"Dinner? So you persist at that foolish plan? Placing us at risk for a foolish game is not your style, hopefully, so what are you doing? Let me ask again."

"I have already given you an answer…"

Now she was mad, honestly mad with his ways.

"It's okay, I shall accompany you Astris, you can set your mind in ease…now return…"

Astris did go back to the mansion but her feelings were strange…

One part of her was content that even the slight possibility of him touching and transforming a human, turned up his inner flame, they needed that flame to serve their war far more than an indifferent politeness.

But clearly she could now see the difficulties that she would face in preserving her leadership role once Kaname's steam resurfaced.

She also needed control, but had she just sensed that he would not let her have it?

* * *

"Oh Aido…come in…", sitting now at her boudoir Astris prepared her hair for the evening. Aido approached and could see her smiling to him through the mirror.

"Yes?", she asked as she turned to face him.

" I was wondering about Kaname…"

"Ah that's why you are here…", she smiled.

He almost blushed…

"I have no idea…", she said in a slow tone that made Aido's eyes to widen more.

No, that was not what he had expected to hear.

"You have no idea if he will come back? Why he returned back there?"

"For now…he is flirting".

Aido had a huge questionnaire at his bright blue eyes now.

"Kaname-sama? Never…he is not that type".

Astris lifted her eyebrows. He was not back there, she was.

"But wait…who does he flirt with?"

"It does not matter…".

"If it does not matter then this is not Kaname…"

"Oh come on Aido, he is not this and is not that… great grace you all have given him".

"He must have a reason"

"A reason that he does not know…that's what he told me. I do hope that he presents himself at the gathering and won't make things worst for all of us".

"Is she human?"

"What?"

"The girl".

"Yes.."

Aido delved into thoughts…thoughts of the past…

"The last time that Kaname flirted a human girl…"

"Yes?", she could see his hesitation.

"He wanted to protect her, he liked her", that was the only that he could say without sounding too melodramatic.

"He liked her?"

"It proved to be his pureblood sister…now you understand right?"

She was astonished.

Could it really be that honest? Could she really be a genuine interest, perhaps a scope that he had found in order to fight again?

And why that thought brought her now a melancholic tone?

He seemed depressed and she only thought that it had to be due the fact that he should recover from the loss, then suddenly an idea stroke her…whose loss? Could he really mean all of these?

"You are…disappointed?", Aido looked at her worried expression.

"No, no, it's just I can not believe that his intentions about her are real."

"Kaname is real…"

Aido left Astris quite troubled. While she thought that all of these had been a performance, she now had second thoughts. Could her pureblood instincts and pure logic be so mistaken? She almost bite her hairbrush with her fangs.

"Aouts", the little irritation forced her to focus more on the present, abandoning the wanderings of her mind.

"Am I caring too much?", she wondered. But then her mind gave her a solid explanation…after all she should care, and had every right to care. And with that final thought, she lifted from the stool and approached the door. The pureblood was ready.


	15. Fires and Burns

One thousand torches illuminated the way for the forest's secret path that led to Mort's Villa. They were spread among the bushes and the trees, creating the atmosphere of an occurring event where friends and supporters were all invited.

Vampires and humans had abandoned their vehicles and even their familiar forms in order to present themselves according to the protocol that their leader had requested for the event.

Slowly enjoying their promenade through the narrow natural lanes of the earth, the guests had the chance to smell the natural wood, the freshness of the plantation but also fire and just for the beasts human flesh and blood. Ingredients all arousing, almost intoxicating to a vampire's natural instincts.

As Kaname and Astris approached closer to the villa's garden, the guests bowed to their gracious presence. Astris could feel the glances of curiosity, admire, even envy that fell upon them.

Erebus always told her that she ought not to forget who she was among her kind; the next successor, the hope she represented as a new generation; a promise and a guarantee their kind would not extinct, immortality would be preserved and passed upon the centuries as simple snowflakes at the rooftops.

That was the story that they all admired and worshipped. Tonight she was a princess. And tonight she had with her the one that was the beginning of all vampires; the Kuran progenitor, one of the few, perhaps the last ancestor. And while on that night, it appeared like Erebus had offered her to him, tonight it seemed as though he had submitted to her and the dominance of her clan.

Entering the villa all the faces turned to them; Erebus, who stand at the top of the stairs, welcomed with a satisfied glance the entrance of her daughter with the Kuran ancestor.

Astris responded back with a slight bow, whereas Kaname totally ignored Erebus' welcome, focusing more at the faces that had gathered now at the grand salon. Nobles and common vampires, some purebloods staying at the more private corners and eventually humans, many humans that were here either as guests due to their influence at the human world or as servants for the vampires.

The ones that once had believed in co-existence where here no more, having followed the exit for the light, and the ballroom was empty of any true hope for prosperity, just ambition covered these walls.

"Fewer than ever before we are…" , he considered as he saw Astris distancing herself to salute some friends.

His concentration though returned soon to Erebus who had lifted his hands calling everyone around.

"My friends and supporters, humans and vampires, together we shall march to a new era where nothing shall be able to threat the existence of the vampires. Tonight we have in our circles a form that is the trademark of our tribe, of our nature. Kaname Kuran."

He disregard all the eyes that focused on him and ignored the applauses and the bows. All these reminded him of an era back in time where he fought silently against the senate and the council. Today he felt even worst…

"Tonight though I shall present you once again with my dear daughter that you all know how important she is. Astris…"

Astris inhaled deeply as the extended hand of her father summoned her to take her place next to him. With grace, she ascended the long stairway.

Kaname knew what she felt and lived with every step that she took to the long staircase and far beyond..

Their eyes met.

A narrow smile appeared to her lips as Erebus with a gesture gave her the right to speak.

"I want to thank you all that you appeared at this gathering, my father worked very hard for us to be able to enjoy this night. As promised, we the purebloods are going to share our blood, our powers and our immortality with you all that support the cause.

But tonight, with the agreement of my father, I would like to ask the permission not to change humans to vampires but instead offer to both humans and vampires the blood that they want and need for a prolonged life. In this way, we can honor and the ancestor that made a long way for us. If you agree father…"

Kaname looked at Erebus. Astris little initiative had found him unprepared but not as much as Erebus who might appeared calm in the surface, but deep down he was quite irritated.

Indeed, he did not like it at all that Astris publicly had taken such an initiative, exposing all the plans he had for the evening. He was sure that she did it for that bloody ancestor. She seemed to be affected by his presence.

On the other hand his daughter was smart; and perhaps that gave her the chance to earn more the ancestor's trust. Feeling unsure of what to believe yet, Erebus pretended that this more refined act, capable of pleasing both humans and vampires, was in accordance with his original plans for the evening. She would face her punishment for that, nevertheless, soon enough.

"But…of course, after all that was intended to be done Astris, but thank you for introducing such an act of bonding between our people. As my successor the act that you promote with your stance is an ideal example of true care for our tribe", he said in a slow, clear tone. The guests applauded.

"Thank you father", she responded returning back to her position.

"Now, let's enjoy the evening".

With Erebus order the musicians began a slow waltz. Astris looked at Kaname. Would he lead her to a dance?

As the record showed he did and in the change of the rhythm, he leaned slightly forward to whisper to her ear; "thank you, but that was unnecessary and dangerous".

Images flashed to his eyes, of a precious girl that once wished to protect, as much as it hurt now, he could see in her eyes a feeling of anticipation that he recognized; a will to protect him.

She uplifted a bit to her tiptoes to whisper to him also; "Not so much as having dinner…"

* * *

Having no memories, having no sources of happiness to reflect upon. The world and its arising future; a new exploration. The past; indifferent, lost forever. And love; the burn of an unexpected sudden flame that brought to the surface all the feelings of the heart. A sensitive heart like her own, now caught in a new exciting beat that anticipated the joy it had never tasted before.

Setting up the last details in her small apartment, Amelia light the candles and lowered the lights. "No, it should not show romantic intentions….hm, but then and not that informal…", while her mind revolved about all the lighting, the door's bell rung and she jumped around like she was hit by an sudden striking.

"He is here…oh", she fixed the pearls at her neck which she had bought from a street bargain and straighten her mini skirt as she approached the door.

"Oh Hi", she cheerful said.

Kaname brought up a soft smile.

"Am I late?"

"No, ten o'clock as you had informed me".

"Couldn't manage it earlier, sorry".

"Come in".

The apartment looked exactly as he remembered it the night that she had brought him here saving his human life. Tonight it looked even more cozy despite its lack of room. Amelia had set up a small convenient dining table for two at the middle and the candles with the semi lights gave to the room a softer aesthetic.

"Is that wine?", she asked a bit hesitant style.

"Oh yes".

"There was no need…" She walked to the kitchen with quick steps and Kaname got his coat off. Approximately that could take a long time, perhaps all night. As much as the other event taking place at the distant but yet, so close vampire world.

A servant approached Astris who was cheerfully talking with a group of vampires and notified her about something.

Kaname standing mostly at the corner, pretending to enjoy his glass of wine, a rare specimen from Erebu's private collection, watch her distancing from the ballroom and finally entering the large doors that possible led to the underground chambers. He did not like what it would be done. But for now it was the only one option that existed.

And another chance for this option to be applied just approached as a small group of three to four purebloods moved to his direction. Hio, Touma, Hanadagi descendants and relatives.

"We meet again under new circumstances", Touma smiled with a sarcastic smile.

"So it seems", Kaname replied.

"Despite you are the one that took the live of my husband, perhaps now you can atone yourself for your sins", the Hio mistress said now reminding him a scene that had taken place a long time ago.

"Such a loving welcome", he responded.

"What do you expect? We allow your presence among us for now, as long as you remain loyal to our ideal; to re-build this world, after you and your friends tried to shatter it", the Hanadagi daughter replied.

"After all, you will no longer have means to oppose us", Touma said.

"And we are no longer afraid of your powers", the Hio mistress said.

"Hm…", Touma sardonic smile appeared again. "I am sure that if he had his anti-vampire sword he would have killed us by now for we dare to remind him who he is without his magic weapons. I do not trust you!"

"I am glad that you do not trust me Touma, you won't be disappointed when I will blow you again." , kaname half-smiled in bold intentions.

"Our friend Touma is a bit rude ancestor", the Hanadagi male descendant replied, in all charm as usual, as if all the other comments were descent.

" For now, we are content that you shall remain by our side, people trust your name and your legacy. We ought not to forget that. We have no intention to start a war, we just want to ensure that you are with us this time".

"It does not seem like a have a choice…now excuse me", he replied and distanced himself from the circle.

"Your daughter is a good example you know", the Hio mistress noticed, semi-turning around to face him. "She keeps her distances, yet stays away from our business. This is the right way to go, unless you truly mean this…".

* * *

Kaname continued distancing giving no notice to her comment, yet his attention twisted to Erebus who appeared by his side.

"Allow me to take you a tour to my humble home, Kaname. There are many interesting things happening…".

Amelia deposited the roasted chicken on the table. It looked well cooked. Perhaps too overcooked. She made her own efforts to serve the food.

"Here let me help", Kaname said taking the knife and dividing the pieces.

"Thank you, Kaname", you know men are good to have them around especially for these kind of tasks", she tried to joke, chasing away her own nervousness.

How good he looked tonight with this black shirt, no tie and his hair a bit more freely than the stylized professor look.

Finally, they both sat opposite to each other enjoying the home-made dinner that she had been preparing with care the whole afternoon.

"Is it nice at the university?", she asked to initialize a discussion of any kind.

"Yes, I think that you will like it. It's your type".

Amelia blushed that he had turned the discussion to her.

"Really? What's my type?"

"Philosophical, sensitive that kind of type".

"Oh…thank you. I am happy that I met you", she said with sincerity. She truly did. He was handsome and educated and so well-mannered, at least when he wanted. Now he treated her like a princess, adding wine to her glass, looking her at the eyes.

"Your eyes are truly rare as a color", she meant to ask him so many things, but especially this beautiful and rare characteristic seemed to her like a good starting point.

"They are not so rare".

"No? but they are the same color as this deep red wine or so…, I've never seen that before, how were the eyes of your parents?"

"To be honest I do not remember them".

"Oh..like me?", she asked with a greater interest.

"Yes, like you", he replied. "Memory loss", he added.

"How awful. Isn't really dreadful not to have anything that can bind you with the past, to know who you really are?"

"It is soon enough past your dramatic experience, give it time, you just need support", he warmly responded.

"His support?" She wandered…"and more".

"This is why I am happy to have met you, I have no other friends around, I know I sound a bit tragic but in general I have neither many money to get out and make friends, neither many hours to participate in activities", she said.

"I am here as long as you need me", he replied.

He was too good to be true. And she had wanted so much to return his friendliness and his support.

"You said that you have no girlfriend… I mean you also look kind of lonely…"

"I am a lonely type that's why…"

"Your students must…"

"They try to, yes", he inertly smiled to that memory. It all seemed so distant now. A season of light and lightness. All so far away…and yet he was still a part of that world.

"Kaname are you interested in me? Do you think that I would ever be capable of been loved by a man?"

"Why not?"

"My self…can be a bit of a mess, sometimes. I am so confused, you are the only person to whom I can trust all these feelings. I know I sound too frantic but sometimes I can not help it".

"What bothers you?"

" A lot…insomnia and bad dreams. Bad feelings as if though something is going to happen, something quite important, panicking ideas that I forget something. I can not sleep and relax. Most of the time I think that anxiety shall kill me. I do not know, perhaps it's the current mess my life is at the moment…"

"Your life is fine, you have an apartment, a job and you are gentle and kind".

"Yes, you are probably right, this is all in my head. When I am with you, I feel so much better".

"You do not bore me, truly I wish I could help you more, perhaps listen to what troubles you at nights".

"They are not good things that you would like to hear".

"Try me…"

"Fire, ashes, people burning"…

"Go on…"

* * *

The scent of the blood hit his nostrils. As Erebus's powers forced the grand doors to open, the familiar smell of Astris' blood rushed to the corridor.

She laid there silently on top of a stone medieval table, her hair now falling until the ground, her blood spilled at the marbles.

"Do you think that she was punished enough for the evening? That's a way to teach a young girl to spread promises of her blood, disregarding the elders; give her exactly what she wished for",

Erebus looked at the ancestor, but Kaname's eyes were concentrated on the vampires that had fed their inner hunger with the princess' blood.

Now they all wiped their lips and faces, and retreated humbly to the pureblood's presence. They were too many. Ten or more vampires and five to six humans, greedily licking the last drops of their fingers.

"Isn't that an interesting sight?", Erebus commented. He could feel the wrath inside the ancestor's veins.

"We are strengthening our tribe and make new connections, if our cause is the same why are you so angry ancestor?"

Astris exhausted twisted her glance towards the two men and she called his name.

"Kaname…"

Kaname tried to approach the young daughter but Erebus's hand prevented him. Slowly the pureblood master whisper to his ear;

"You know though that she is not the one I can sacrifice, do not force me".

Kaname nodded in apprehension of his blackmail. "Bastard", that was all he could think of now. He further approached looking down at her as Erebus vanished. He was content that the ancestor was slowly attaching himself to her.

"I am fine, just give me some time", she responded making an effort to lift herself.

"I am afraid there is not so much time left", he said and his hands lifted her in his arms.

The purebloods, nobles and guests, turned their heads as a swift breeze shook the villa and they all knew that Kaname Kuran had left the party.

* * *

"My dear Astris…you know that you are my precious, my only one, from the beginning to the end…may these thoughts calm your heart, now that darkness fell to your beautiful eyes. You have the power dear daughter and not I, for I am the past and you are the future. I linger upon you to fulfill your role, as you promised. Love, your dad…"

She opened her eyes for once and then she shut them again, as Kaname's quick disappearance had set a new task to her already exhausted body. Kaname arrived at the mansion's main hall with Astris in deep sleep in his arms. Ruka and Aido jumped off the cough and amazed ran to his side.

"Kaname…Is she all right?"

"What did they do to her?", Aido yelled.

"I should not have allowed it", Kaname just said feeling that she had come too close, too close to real danger for his sake.

As he carried her to her room, her fine elegant lines, her pale skin the sense of protecting someone who cared, took him over, each step another travel in a shattered past.

But it was too early for him to attach to another or too late already for all hopes had crashed again and again in a long past that reminded more a rehearsal than a real life…always taking another victim, another innocent. For the stars to shine another day, another one had to go….illuminating with their lives tomorrows' path. It was his responsibility, as a man, as an ancestor to not allow it another time. These beasts should be stopped in a way, every way.

His comeback had a reason and an importance…now he could clearly see…

"Fulfill your promise to me, Kaname…", "I will Yuuki, I will".

It was the regrets of the past that now became the motives for a tomorrow, giving a new perhaps forgotten shine to everything that surrounded him.

Even her; her that had sustained a well known loneliness against so many, reminding him of himself once; A secret fight against evil, within the evil itself. Still the world that she would choose to defend at the end of the day was the same that had brought here, unconscious.

He gently placed her to the bed and opened the windows. He heard her voice calling his name, she rested there so defenseless.

He approached her beautiful form that now rested under his eyes. The arousal of the blood…the sight she was, tonight.

"Rest", he said bending towards her form. Her eyes shined under the moonlight and he just felt it; the beast that he could even become under her provocation.

Or did she really mean that?

Astris felt him approaching further, would he bite her tonight? His tongue licked the soft flesh of her neck and she shivered. She closed her eyes expecting him to surround in that lust…but his soft kiss, only gave her back what she had lost into the night.

"Thank you", he said, as his power now run to her veins, comforting her, and sending her at a daze.

They both looked each other's eyes, wondering about each other. As he lifted himself, she touched the sleeve of his black shirt…he bended with care to her direction…"I am not so different."

"No, don't say that.."

"But then perhaps you just want to turn victorious to your goals…you know how to be a temptation…think twice…"

His hand touched her soft cheek and Astris resisted his claims, turning her head to the side;

"Rest now.."

Just how this caring touch, could compare with her father's ways.

"You are cruel to yourself, Kaname", she just wanted to say but still her phrases got lost in unconsciousness.

His soft voice threw her in a comforting sleep and Kaname called in Ruka and Aido to took care of her, cleaning the dirty blood that had remained attached to her skin. The scent of distant fires inserted the room and their attention diverted to the window.

Takuma rushed upstairs.

"Kaname, fire, it's coming from Erebu's villa".

"I know".

"What are they burning?", Ruka asked.

"Medicines, everything we had made and they confiscated from the factories", Aido know recognized the smell of the anti-immortality substances which he had spend years of creating.

All four now looked outside of the window as they could see the fire expanding to the dark horizon. The smoke gave to the atmosphere a feeling of depression.

"That's a message to us", Ruka apprehended.

Kaname turned his gaze to Astris that silently slept.

Erebu's dilemma rose in his mind…

"You know though that she is not the one I can sacrifice, do not force me".

"I need to go, protect the house".

Once all bats vanished, Ruka shut the window for good, she could see the shadows approaching from a distance, ready to wrap the Kuran mansion under their surveillance glare.

"Send Yuu a message, we need a pureblood here", Ruka said as Astris awakening was unknown.


	16. Astris

"Do you understand Kaname now? These people are burned, burned and no one can not stop it, they do it at themselves, but then they scream for salvation as they die in the excruciating pains of the flames, the faces of the children melt, their fleshes…god that children…", she could not speak anymore.

He delved more into the back of the sofa, lost in his own thoughts.

Her heart pounded in her chest, feeling guilt that she had turned that night, which was supposed to be romantic and a chance of them getting to know each other, into a depression.

"Kaname, I am sorry, I did not want to heavy you with that part", she apologized sitting next to him.

He seemed now more distant, more serious and almost more sad than she was.

"Amelia, there is a favor that I need to ask you, one that you might think that I am crazy, but please do as I say…"

"What?", she was curious.

"Stay inside for your own good."

"Why?"

Kaname lifted himself from the cough and she remained there looking at him while he put back his coat.

"You shall understand "why" later, that's all for now, please stay", he plainly said.

"I…"

She was amazed as he exited the apartment, giving her neither an explanation or a simply reason for his departure.

Had she done something that she shouldn't?

"Stupid Amelia, you freaked him out", she started gathering the plates and the house, blowing the candles, feeling that she had done and said all the wrong things.

For Amelia, a human girl, it was impossible to see and to know how many bats had surrounded the rooftop of her building, she just knew that for some unknown reason, that night was easier for her.

She thought of that to be quite strange; despite the events, her inner anxiety had been soothed, as if talking to him about it was something her consciousness had been demanding to be done.

The rest she would face it tomorrow but tonight her

nightmares where there no more.

* * *

Aido almost faced a heart attack, when he sensed through his sweet sleep Kaname's familiar form standing above his head and almost dragging him out of his dreams.

"A…", he tossed from the bed, worrying more about his teddy bear pajamas than the real cause of Kaname's visit. The message he got was clear and Aidou woke up Takuma, who also notified Shiki and Rima.

Ruka on the other hand did not need to wake up, as she and Kain had spend the whole evening anticipating Yuu's arrival. She arrived at dawn. But where had she been?

* * *

Even though for Astris it was a rare thing to wake up with the first rays of the sun, her vampire instincts dragged her out of her rejuvenating sleep as they sensed the scent of the blood…

Yuu's face was smiling to her holding a glass filled with blood under her nose and sitting next to her at the bed.

"Good morning brave one, here is a treat from all of us".

She hungrily consumed it all.

"There is a message from my father which arrived late last night", Yuu mentioned as she finished her drink.

"What to leave him alone for the rest of eternity?", she joked.

"No, that's not it", she said and handed the little letter, written by Kaname himself.

"Aido shall arrange a safer place for to move according to my instructions. For now I shall stay here, take care of the house, Kaname".

His message made her furious, wasn't there a drop of decency into his blood? The mattered concerned her more her than him. He was heartless, that what he was…Her hands squeezed the paper in her hands.

"He seems to be preparing something…"

"His grand exit from this mess…", Astris nerves had certainly reached the ceiling. Last night his care told her that perhaps there was something left in his heart, perhaps her efforts were not an illusion, only to tell her today that he did not wish her to interfere. She was bitter, nothing she would ever do, would matter.

"Astris, you know that he can not exit this mess, there are many at stake here and he can not return to the human world either".

"It's like Takuma said the other day…"

"Takuma said what?"

"Just after your father had departed, it was a discussion I started with the noble, trying to figure out your father's overall plan, he told me that Kaname can not be controlled, neither tamed, we are just details, details he needs to finish and nobody shall resist as he does what it is to be done without ever telling anyone about it, that's what Takuma said. Don't you see it?".

Astris outburst sounded totally incoherent to Yuu's ears.

"No, "details?", you can not possibly mean that he shall want to finish the vampire world by enforcing to all of us the cure. I know his despair and his history, but here we exist, that happened in the past Astris, it happened once, why would he go that route again?"

"If he intended to do it, do you have the illusion that he would tell you or me or anyone? Don't you see? He considers himself the same as Erebus, a monster, a beasts, he wants to finish it and then return to the light…He has someone there."

"Are you referring to Amelia?", Yuu asked feeling that she had lost episodes.

"Yes, Amelia".

Despite Astris straight-forward worry about their realm, Yuu could sense that perhaps there was something more in there, something more than what she would initially admit?

How had she reached all these conclusions? Had her feelings for her father advanced perhaps in a level that permitted her to fear about the future? From where all these fears were coming from? Her logic or her feelings?

"Hey, we are on the same side", she said with confidence. "Let us win Erebus and then…if your fears are right, we shall fight it together as if we were sisters, even though I think they are just fears".

"Oh don't you see it? It is so simple. He said it himself, he wants that light, it's pitch dark in here, I am the pitch dark, an option he shall never accept. He wants light, and here he has thrown me aside", her hands tossed the paper away.

"Astris, be patient, he may have a reason"

"I just told you the reason", Astris screamed. Why could not anybody see the obvious?

"Okay, then", Yuu smiled. There was no way to fight Astris' persistence.

"How is the baby?", Astris switched the subject, recognizing that she had just dragged it too far, perhaps all these were just her own inner emotions and thoughts. She should not burden Yuu, especially at her condition.

"Fine, it has started moving, Zero is proud, he tries to keep me away from doing certain tasks but you know me. There is something important that he found out. Last night I convinced him that we should go and check it out, the gathering allowed me to move unnoticed".

"Ah that's why you did not appear last night. I was wondering if you would come since your father would be there".

"It proved something bigger than what we had expected. That's why I was late to get your message, only at dawn I managed to arrive here.".

"I see…so you won't share your discovery?"

"I will but I also wanted my father to hear the news…"

"Oh unless it is a massive way to finish the vampires with the less cost as possible, I do not think that he shall be interested.

Yuu closed her eyes. Passionate Astris as always. As far as she knew her friend, she was always cool-headed and calm.

But, when talking about politics or the future, no one but no one could take that privilege from Astris' hands. She had always wanted to rule this realm, but with the right way, her way.

That was her only dream and scope especially after her family's tragedy. Yes, that was her dream, but it could get quite persistence at some times.

Even though she did have manage to lead them so far, at least protect them and even support Kaname's return, she could turn rather hot-tempered from time to time, especially when she felt losing the control of the game and being overpowered or overthrown from her usual position, and that was Kaname's case; the feeling that her father had left Astris outside of his plan had outranged the pureblood, and perhaps and also his interference with Amelia had made her feel rather useless and not needed.

Yuu believed that Astris' reaction was a mix of everything. Therefore a part of Astris' feelings she could understand. But not her fears about the future, after all they were still distant and unexcused.

Astris lifted herself from the bed and opened the wardrobe, as she wished to change her clothes. She felt dirty from head to toes but at least that would be enough for now.

"I think he shall care. The discovery is something you all should hear".

"Then this is what we are going to do…", Astris said finally tossing her dress at the floor.

* * *

**I want to thank you for reading this story and sustaining it - as the story can be a real long one, I hope that you shall bear with it. Also some ask me about the plot, please do not skip chapters in between, because you shall lose information and then wonder about disconnected facts. Feel free to review if you like, thank you!**


	17. The Mistress of the Dark Realm

"Is that you my lord?", Richmond bowed to Kaname's arrival at his office.

His friendly manners had now been replaced with a serious and formal style that all common vampires attributed to the one that recognized as the beginning of their tribe.

"Richmond, it is okay", Kaname said.

He was in no mood for formalities and bows. What he wanted was answers.

"I apologize if ever been rude, I tried to protect you the outmost, according to the institution's instruction".

"Sit down…", Kaname's glance twisted to the chair and Richmond instantly obeyed.

"Have you done anything with the murders? Have you found the source?"

"As you can guess now, I was investigating on my own. The institution had collapsed. I was alone but yes, I managed to find out many interesting things…there is…"

* * *

"A factory well hidden in the woods, almost underground, closer to the human civilization than what you could expect. Experiments are conducted there and many humans have been found dead nearby, from vampires that do not resist their flesh and blood as they meet them during the night".

Yuu know narrated her latest discovery to Astris and to the nobles that had gathered at the living room.

"The human's police could not spot it?", Takuma asked.

"It's not so easy…it's almost…"

"Invisible, hidden among the rocks or even under, I could not get closer, a shield protects the place, a certain magic that responds only to Erebus himself for that I can be certain. The seal can not open."

"Only to Erebus?", Kaname noticed.

"Yes, one of the workers mentioned that their master only has the power to lift that barrier, I overhead, they work in steady rhythm and mainly unseen and protected from intruders".

"Why so much secrecy?"

* * *

"One of the workers broke and spoke to us about what they are preparing…"

"Wait you captured one?"

"Yes, last night, there was no other way…Zero did it, he confessed and said that they are preparing a new weapon for their lord an anti-vampire…, later I erased his memories of us", Yuu concluded.

Aido could not believe his ears. "How? How did Erebus manage to create an anti-vampire?", he asked with emphasis.

" I suspect from your notes, Aido, he probably copied all the technology that you had managed to create and all the information that we spend years gathering. That's the very reason I believe now that he attacked the factories, not only to confiscate the medicines but to also find resources for that plan that he keeps as a secret from all", Yuu explained.

Aido was skeptic, yes it was a logical explanation.

"You made an anti-vampire?", Astris asked…

"No, not exactly it's just that I was researching totally theoretically the possibility but I never went into really testing…"

"Erebus did though…", Yuu added.

"He targets the purebloods", Astris commented.

"Possibly all of us…"

* * *

"If the rumors that the co-workers speak of are true, then he poses a threat to all purebloods, he shall force them to obey and co-operate, then he shall dominate us all, I suspect that the main reason that he tried to kill you was that he was afraid of you, you were the anti-vampire once".

"Are you sure Richmond?", Kaname asked with grace.

"Yes, I had followed and monitored the area for quite some time after I learned that you returned at the vampire world, I followed them after work at bars, bubs everywhere, I paid and got drunk with few of them. They all presented the same story about their employer. They are very hard to talk. But I am certain."

"Thank you for your hard work", Kaname was ready to depart again after having learned all the necessary information that he needed.

"Please do not forget me my lord…"

Kaname turned around almost smiling…

"I shall not", his left hand raised and the power that was released started excruciating pressing Richmond's form.

"But my lord…", Richmond screamed in pain grasping the sides of his face.

"Repent to your real lord", Kaname's eyes remained unexpressed, as Richmond's form broke in ashes, vanishing now forever from the records of the vampires history.

He closed the door and left silently.

* * *

Amelia was in awe seeing him outside of her door.

"I thought that would not return again", she said as she closed the door.

He had.

* * *

"Yuu we should stop him. There is no other way. If he manages to complete it then we are finished.." Astris said.

"I agree…you two should finish with moving the equipment to a safer area, if anything goes wrong, at least to have a place to go…", Yuu twisted her attention to Aido and Takuma. Both of them rushed to the door.

"Wait Aido, I want to speak to you..", Astris said and Yuu lifted herself from the chair.

"I am going to get some sleep, either wise I shall crash, then I will try to contact my father and let him know about it, do you agree Astris?"

"Yes, do take some rest, do not bother Kaname yet, after all the guys should find a way to transfer the meds and the files to our new resort, that's a first, and for now your father asked not to interfere him".

"Then Zero shall be here to help, he left me and went home to take a nap. I shall send him here".

"Thank you", the two girls hugged each other, while the rest of the nobles descended the stairs of the library as plenty of work expected them.

* * *

Astris closed the door of the mansion as Yuu exited, and she could not help but noticing herself than the clouds that were now travelling to the horizon, were not just clouds, but surveillance shadows, well hidden for they eyes of the many.

"What is it Astris?" Aido questioned, now that they were left completely alone.

Astris approached him with slow steps.

"I need to ask you an important question and you must answer me, I beg you to…"

She begged?

Aido's curiosity lighten up. What could it be?

"I need you to tell me Kaname's message, exactly as it was"

Aido felt even stranger, but he had transferred the message, almost…

That "almost" now made him look at her even more suspiciously. Despite knowing her and trusting her, despite owing his live to her, the private discussion between him and Kaname was private.

"So should I take your silence as evidence that there was more in that conversation that you refuse to tell?"

"I do not know what you are asking me. Kaname is Kaname and I did transfer the message".

"All of it?", she insisted.

"All of it!", Aido answered and a part of himself was sincere, after all the rest was not a message addressed to all of them but only to himself.

"I think you are lying, and I do understand your position and the fact that I am rude here but in order to ask you that means that it might be important."

Despite admiring her good nature, as Astris refused to take use of her manipulating powers to get what was easy for her to get, Aido's opinion on that matter was set.

"No"

"Then I must be mistaken, I am sorry for delaying you from your important tasks."

Aido nodded. As he turned around relief was spelled in his eyes but then her voice stopped him again.

"This notion that you refuse to tell, was about the way he intends to end himself, wasn't it? That's why he addressed to you, only you could help him with that matter."

Aido turned around.

"You are forgetting I am his right hand".

"What's the deal? He wants a potion or cure for what? Please tell me Aido…"

Knowing her for quite some time, he was not fooled judging that she should have feelings for him. Astris never interfered in other people's business, neither persistent on things that really had no importance. A part of him felt sorry for her…

"I can't, really can't"

"Just a clue, anything".

"It's not a request I am happy about", he just said, feeling that it would be okay to at least expose his own feelings about it.

"He wants to become human then, did he asked you to create a potion specifically for him? That's what you are telling me!"

"I did not say anything, the request though is not something I would support, this is all that can be shared".

Their eyes met and the same notion know was written in both of them.

"Thank you Aido", she finally said releasing him.

"I am sorry Astris, but Kaname…I mean"

"Please, go.."

Everything blended together, Kaname wanted to return to the human world, she was stupid to worry about his games with Amelia, they were not games after all, It was only she stupid enough to not being able to see the underlying truth.

If they all managed to get out of these, he would eventually take his place beside humans and she…and this bloody realm, a world that she loved and felt responsible for it, despite the conflicts and the fights, what would become of it? Would he end them or let them go on?

Why should he wait for his blinded decisions, when she could act?

She had started all of these alone and alone she would finish it…someone had to protect this realm, whatever the cost.

As she ascended the stairs, she realized that she personally had never cared for the chandeliers after all; she was a creature of the night and as someone who genially liked this dark realm for all it was, despite the conflict, the agony, the battles, she was its original and only mistress.


	18. Exposure

Zero arrived a bit later during midday, the sun had now reached its highest peak at the horizon. He came with a van that he had taken from an electricity company.

The nobles used the little secret lane that went around the mansion, as a secret route in order to carry to the little trunk mostly the equipment and the medicines. Rima and Shiki worked unstoppable preparing the packages, while Takuma and Aido slowly carried them to the van. Ruka with Kain had left already the mansion, expecting the van to its destination, unpacking and making sure that they were not followed or spied. Until now, they had managed to remain undetected from the shadows due to the secret pathway and the cover of the van.

Astris was not able to get any rest; the idea in her mind was too good to resist; she had the power to finish it all for everyone. Why to endanger others?

She silently waited until the afternoon. At three o'clock Zero took the last of the equipment and Shiki with Rima, Aido and Takuma expected her at the dining room to tell her that they had finished.

But to their surprise Astris could not be found in the mansion. Instead they found a message at the dining room.

"Go, I will meet you later".

"But where did she go?", Aido questioned.

"Kaname perhaps?", Takuma suggested.

Ruka and Kain used the front door of the mansion to enter.

"We came to gather up some things and…"

"We should wait Astris, I am afraid that she won't know where to find us if all of us depart now", Takuma said.

"But Kaname can tell her", Shiki responded.

"Let's gather some personal belongings then", Rima noticed, "it seems that we have time, we finished rather quick".

"Where is Astris?", the nobles turned around as Yuu's voice sounded from the entrance.

"Yuu shouldn't you be sleeping?" Zero, wondered.

"I did sleep fairly enough. Have you finished with moving?

Everybody shook their heads, "We just lost Astris on the way…", Takuma joked. "But she can be with your father…"

Yuu shook her head with doubt. "Let me see, you go ok?".

"Yuu, wait.." , Zero shouted while she disappeared. "Ah, she never listens to wait I say", he protested.

"That's in the genes", Takuma teased.

"Come on, let's make something to eat and meanwhile gather and our stuff", Rima suggested again.

For them the main part of their duties had finished, whatever Kaname planned to do, they were ready to face it.

* * *

"My lady", the vampire guards fell to the ground besides her feet.

"When you will wake up you shall have no recollection of this", she said to their laying figures as now she stood at the entrance of the factory.

Perhaps it was a long shot, but also a unique chance. After the gathering, her father should be sleeping during the afternoon. The workers had not arrived yet, and the few that rested as guards would also sleep for some time after the spell she had enforced on them. It was perfect. She could finish this without anyone suspecting her, silent and undetected.

She lifted her hands and spilled her blood on the little circle that almost seemed like a natural mark of the ground. The sealed was activated, consuming the blood, as a response the earth swallowed its own plantation and the steady unmovable rocks that blocked her passage split in two, retreating to the call of its owner.

The lane now, a dirty road full of leaves and brown ground was clearly showing her the way. It led further below inside the earth, and through a narrow cave. The factory was built underneath the mountain. She repositioned her hood better and quickly descended the stairs and the ladder for the underground industrial area.

As she made her way further underground, the light became more and more spare. The walls were covered with mud but small torches existed at the sides. She grabbed one and used her powers to shed some light to the passage. The air smell awful even to her beastly senses; humidity, rotten fleshes and chemicals.

Despite that she kept moving. The factory was vacant and she passed an iron bridge that connected two areas together. The scent of humans started becoming more evident; it seemed that the factory also hosted prisoners.

She did not like what she could see, sense or hear. Suddenly she felt a form behind her, almost following her footsteps. She twisted suddenly, almost ready to made an attack but…

"Yuu…!"

Yuu ran to her side, it seemed that she had made efforts to catch up with her.

Astris spoke low but intense.

"You are crazy, you should not be here!"

"Me? What about yourself? Why are you acting on your own? Let's get out of here…the others are waiting for you."

"I am the one that could break that seal…let me endanger, go with them!"

"Astris"

"It's my responsibility, go back".

"Then I am coming, I won't leave you here, move on…".

Astris did not like that…not at all but then again, a chance is a chance.

Only that the next step proved to be a mistaken one.

A great power blasted the bridge and both of them started falling many levels below, the screams of the prisoners could clearly being heard while blows escorted their route down, striking them from the sides. Astris managed to reduce the speed, grasping Yuu's hands, despite all circumstances they both managed to safely land on their feet.

Erebu's form now appeared slowly from the darkness.

His sharp claws extended and Yuu only managed to divert diagonally her body, her blood painted red Astris' cheek and her sharp scream of pain echoed double. Her stomach was cut, a wound that forced her to bend into two to the sharp pain. Astris wrapped her body with her own.

"You beast…", she screamed not even thinking the consequences.

"The baby, please", Yuu begged through excruciating pains. She begged her senses, her own powers and blood not to leave her now, not to abandon her, at this time of need and emergency.

"Father", Astris shouted as her powers were silenced from Erebus spell. She could not face him.

"Silence! Another bastard of that damned rotten dynasty, you think I shall permit it to exist after this?"

The ground started trembling…and Erebus looked above.

"OUT ", Kaname's barrier formed made a safe passage for the two girls to ran for the exit.

His forces released a shocking power of energy crashed against Erebu's forces, forcing the latest to take refuge to a little door, well hidden among the rocks. He was losing blood, heavily wounded.

Erebus disappeared in the passage releasing an army of level-e vampires, they all jumped at the barrier with the insanity of the hunger written in their eyes.

They were instantly burned inside the forces that the pureblood was using to shield the girls.

As Astris carried the half passed out Yuu to the top, the explosions beneath them were emphatic as Kaname crashed the rocks with his powers to reveal the interior hidden section of the factory.

At the exit Zero waited impatiently with his motorcycle. He lost all his color as he saw how wounded Yuu was.

"The weapon…I did not manage to…the people inside…"

The clouds above became darker, purebloods had answered the call of their leader.

"It was a trap Astris. Forget it!", Yuu screamed while her pleadings were lost in the sounds of the explosions.

"Give her to me", Zero shouted in a delirious state.

"Go, Zero, Go", Astris shouted.

Yuu managed to grasp his shirt.

"Astris…"

Through the enormous speed that Zero increased Yuu saw Astris dashing back inside in her wind form.

"Damn…", she said and passed out, while the shields of the motorcycle rose around her, securely enclosing her. They were hunted down but as long as it passed from Zero's hand, they would have to pass from his dead body to get her.

* * *

The human populations felt the earthquakes a long distance away and while Amelia watched the news, ready to grasp anything that was in her way in order to support herself from falling, she then saw the moving shadows to separate their forms from the clouds outside of her window. Another earthquake shook the land and she fell at the floor. The bats that surrounded her figure, terrified her and she screamed as the shadows approached more and more.

* * *

"Astris, Yuu?, anybody in here?" Ruka's shouts were heard all over the mansion in a desperate effort to summon a pureblood at least. The earthquakes and the forces that were trying to invade the mansion had found the nobbles in an unprepared state.

She descended the stairs with great speed as the chandeliers broke the one after the other behind her.

Flames and fires wrapped the house, Takuma and Aido led them all downstairs, as the vampires hit the roof and the windows.

"Down quick, let's hit the exit", Takuma yelled as Shiki and Rima came running down the stairs, between the flames and the vampires attacks.

The group followed the lane of the forest while hits and blows shook the forest around them.

Suddenly Ruka stopped as they were surrounded;

They all grouped together and released the powers to annihilate the attacks when a pack of bats in a dashing race pierced the clouds and enwrapped them in a furious tornado.

"Ah, Kaname's-sama's bats", Aido yelled as the bats seemed to dilute their bodies in a constant stream of blood.

"Patience, Aido", Shiki shouted.

"Take that wing from my nose", Rima yelled in a panicked condition.

As they opened their eyes again Takuma and Aido, Ruka and Kain, Shiki and Rima, found themselves around Amelia's passed out body. The bats united with the ones that flew in the room in a frenzy state, fighting the vampires.

Shiki and Rima opened fire, Aido set a freezing shield around them and Kain picked up Amelia who seemed badly hurt at the head, after a nasty fall.

As the shadows kept rushing in through the window, Ruka used her illusions to crash the vampires' heads while Takuma's blade pierced the ones that had managed to get closer. The form of the pureblood that suddenly appeared made them to lose their breath and make a step backwards.

"Give her to me".

"That's enough, Erebus!", Ruka shouted as the command of the pureblood filled their minds with a desire to surrender.

All that they knew was that Erebus was crashed at the next moment.

Takuma breathed easier, a familiar…

"Come on, let the bats fight the rest, let's go", Takuma shouted.

* * *

At the factory, many levels below the surface, the battle with the purebloods who had answered Erebu's call for aid, continued.

Hio's wife and her two elder sons along with Touma had encircled Kaname who fought them at both sides, mainly as a defense, holding the mountain from collapsing to their heads and dodging their main attacks. This was not how he had calculated this battle to progress, but the factory had revealed many humans locked in cages and one level below, Astris explosions took advantage of Kaname's shield, to set free the captured humans from their cages.

She wanted to explode the rocks which prevented the humans from reaching the gateway that Erebus had used out of the mountain as a falling rock had blocked the passage; finally the wave of her own blast threw her many meters behind. She half –opened her eyes and managed to see the terrified crowd who was standing at the sides, exiting in a panicked state the factory.

Suddenly, many meters above her head, a wild but familiar scream draw her attention; "Aaaaaaa", as she lifted her head she saw Touma's flying figure to collide at the rocks and to fall down with half of his head opened. He was heavily injured everywhere. His hat landed a few meters away in shrouds.

"Damn You!, Kuran!", he only managed to say and the blood came out of his mouth.

Astris moved a bit in stress, as another pureblood form came through the lane that still remained opened. Was it Erebus? As she was ready to lift herself from the ground she recognized that figure…

"Hazard…?"

Hazard's menacing look twisted at the level above where furious blows were exchanged. Finally, the blood of the defeated purebloods fell and moved under the rocks seeking an escape. The battle had found a resume as the remaining purebloods flee from the fight incapable to cause any real damage.

Hazard's eyes twisted back at Astris, with a gentle almost flattering look.

He offered her his hand and she lifted herself from the ground. She was surprised, his charms even at hours of danger never abandoned him as grace was his second nature.

"At your service, your majesty", he bowed with all politeness, and kissed the top of her palm while he smiled to her look of authentic surprise.

Suddenly her face turned pale, as an inner notion passed through her mind. "Amelia" .

"Now go", Hazard pushed with his forces her body further on the air and close to the rocks so she could support herself. His look was reassuring and gentle. His eyes smiled and then she bite her lips in pure terror as the next hand she caught on her way above and the eyes she faced were these of a mad vampire. Kaname's look was not gentle at all, rather furious and his hand literally dragged her above as his powers opened a hole at the top.

Hazard remained still in his position as their bats flew to freedom. Helena appeared next to him.

"So you did come! What is it that she wants now to start a war?"

"Strange girl she is…just as when she could have everything".

"Adolescence problems"?

In his eyes a desire, for her.

"Oh…I see.. "Let's leave the lions to eat their heart out, shall we? Erebus is old, isn't he brother? And Kuran is hopeless probably desperate to give an end to himself, sooner or later. Do you feel as a successor already?"

"Stop being jealous, Helena, Astris must have a reason that we do not in order to react as such, if it is to fight, I want to know what we are really fighting for…not being used like him".

They both look at Touma's body soulless body.

"All I know is this act of treason means only war. Erebus shall not forgive such a bold attack at his base of operations. Now they are facing an open war. "

"Did you see how many humans were kept in here? And level-e? Do you think that the elders knew about it?"

"You saw nothing, after all, it's safer for us to not interfere. Look at Touma...even though…he deserved it. His taste in hats is awful!"

* * *

"The government attributes the explosions, to the chemicals that had remained to the old factory during its operation times, ten years ago, the earthquakes created the condition for the explosions. Case closed."


End file.
